The Path Not Taken
by C. Sphire
Summary: When the prize of success is his sister's piece of the crown and greater sway with King Balor, failure is not an option. But all too soon Nuada realizes that being human for a year is not as easy as it seems. Will a new perspective and a chance encounter with a kind yet odd woman be enough to sway this exiled Prince to try another path to save his people? Nuada/OC Nuala/Abraham
1. Prologue:

The Path Not Taken is a Hell Boy II Fan Fiction story which centers on Prince Nuada in a "what if…" scenario which takes place one year before he would have appeared at the auction house. (AU)

Pairings: Nuada/OC, Nuala/Abe mostly might throw in a sprinkle of Hellboy/Liz too in time.

Full Summery:

Princess Nuala of the Clan Bethmoora elves loves her twin brother dearly but through their strong bond she is pained by what grows darker within his heart with each passing century. After carefully weighing the pros and cons she presents him with a seemingly simple offer:

Live among the humans as one for a year and for this she will hand over her part of the crown. One of three pieces and a first step in someday awakening the Golden Army to destroy the human race in what Nuada believes is the only way to save their people.

Far older than the millennium give or take a few centuries, already in exile and hidden in the shadowy depths of New York city, Prince Nuada with little hesitation accepted her challenge.

_What is just one year, after all?_

He reasons but all too soon he discovers that being human is not as easy as it looks and the powerful enchantment placed upon him has changed more than just his appearance. Weaker, struggling to make ends meet, unable to use magic and barred from all lands his remaining kind reside in or receiving their aid, Prince Nuada is no more. Nathan Lance however is starting to count the months, weeks, days, hours and even minutes until the spell is lifted.

But will one quirky, stubborn and funny woman, her roommate and an old pawnbroker be enough to sway the Prince Nuada from the path of raising the Golden Army to another?

Still working on this story and will finish it. I like to take my time with it plus there is school/work ...ugh! Goal is a chapter a month maybe two. Also if you started reading and then decided to quit reading please let me know why.

=0=

**Prologue**

"_The thunders breaking at her feet:_

_Above her shook the starry lights:_

_She heard the torrents meet."_

**-Alfred Lord Tennyson**

The path in the forest was misty and dim. The twinkling night sky peeked between the sheltering branches of the trees above. She looked down from them to her wiggling toes in the cool damp earth and smiled. Her mother always scolded her whenever she ran outside without shoes. But now her mother could not stop her as she skipped along the winding path. Stopping now and then to pick up an interesting looking stone, sniff at a flower or follow the fireflies and moths as they went about their business.

Gently she caught one of the glowing bugs, brought her cupped hands to an eye and peered inside. She gave a soft laugh as the little legs tickled at her palms and fingers, lighting them up. Opening them she watched him crawl a bit before he decided to take off. She followed his path until she lost him in the stars. At least she was pretty sure the firefly was a male. Her father had told her that it was the males that would fly about putting on a display. And if a female liked it she would blink back. Her father also said it was not nice to put them in a jar not even for, in her sulking words, "But it's _only_ for one night."

When she continued to pout he added simply, "How would you like to be put in a jar and stared at?"

Even to her six year old reasoning the question drove his point home. Immediately and solemnly she promised, "I'll never ever put anything in a jar-not even if it's really gross." It earned her one of his warm smiles and even rarer full laughs.

Looking about she suddenly wished her father was here, her mother too. But then they both had very important work which kept them away for long hours. Work they said would make very ill people well again.

With a resigned sigh she kept walking till she found a puddle and was suddenly glad they were not about. For with a mischievous grin and checking one more time around for her mom, she stepped into it. Giggling as the mud squished between her toes.

"Eeeeewww…"

She wiggled them picking one foot up then switched to the other. It made funny sounds.

SPLAT-SPLAT! SPLAT-SPLAT!

Crinkling her nose and laughing some more, she knew if her mom was here she would be put into time out for sure. Her dad however would probably take off his fancy shoes and socks then join in. How much time passed while doing this, mattered little. To her it was pure fun. Eventually in her search for an even bigger and muddier puddle she wandered off of the path into the woods. It did not seem too long before she realized with a start she could no longer see it. The crickets had also gone silent. Hearing something else instead had her turning in circles slowly, trying to determine the direction of the soft swishing and metal hitting metal over her hammering heart.

A few odd flashes of something colored white among the trunks caught her eye. Then she heard the distant voices and started to calm. At least she was no longer alone. Yet cautious still, she slowly and carefully wandered her way to the small clearing. The voices grew louder and seemed friendly but what she saw kept her from emerging fully from the brush to say hello.

It was what appeared to be a man and a woman fighting each other with swords. But from their coloring they could not possibly be human and from their smiles she guessed they were only practicing and even having some fun.

_Wow… they are so pale… and they got eyes like… like lions!_

Her own eyes grew in size as she took in the sight of them. Never had she seen beings such as this. Even their clothing was peculiar yet looked to be well made. It along with their long corn silk like hair flowed mesmerizingly about as they twirled, sprinted and even jumped about the meadow.

"You cannot remain forever on the defensive… strike back sister."

"No, I will not. In fact I wager you will tire first before I do."

"You and your betting, challenges and dares. Bad influences from those sisters… If father ever finds-"

"Whoever would tell him? And you should talk! You always accept them."

When the brother gave a small growl of frustration and charged he ended up falling. But it only slowed him down. He rolled smoothly from one shoulder to another before somehow hopping back to his feet. The sister who had ducked at the last moment had swept a leg out and tripped him.

"Perhaps you should try another approach instead of running head long into trouble all of the time? Think before you act."

"And you," he began as their blades started to clash again and again. "You think too much."

The little hidden girl smiled, she liked his sister but then she guessed he was probably okay too. As they continued to spar she could not resist remaining to watch. Naively, she thought nothing of possible danger even though they were strangers and odd looking ones at that. Smiling she took a step closer. A twig snapped under her bare muddy foot. The brother froze then whirled away from his sister. His cold, hard amber eyes instantly locking onto hers, had her stumbling backwards. She wanted to look away but felt trapped by his gaze as he came storming up to her with sword still in hand.

"Brother no!" His sister cried out but in the next moment she was banished by some unseen force. The forest melted away and even the girl's little feet were clean once more.

When she scrambled back onto them and backed up into the shadows he stopped short where the light ended and barked out, "You! Who are you! Answer me!"

There was nothing left but them, light and darkness. Her jaw worked but she could not make a sound as he squinted at her then made a disgusted face. Moments ago it seemed so different, handsome and calm. But now close up she could see the lines of worry upon it. That and what looked like vertical cuts and a deeper horizontal one under his eyes and across his nose. He smiled but it was not a nice one. In his pale face it almost looked like a cleaned skull.

"A human…" he ground out slowly as if the words themselves upon his tongue were distasteful. "How _dare_ you come here!"

She started to cry. Seeing the tears gave him pause but then he shook little if any concern for them off.

"You should be scared," he taunted as his unwavering eyes narrowed before drawing even slowly closer.

But something in them her hackles rising or maybe it was just the fact she felt cornered. Sucking in a deep breath she screamed as loud as she could. And she kept screaming until she woke up.

"Goodness honey! What is the matter?" Her father burst into the room as she sat up crying. Her mother was still at work or so she guessed.

Between gasps she whimpered out, "I was in a forest… catching fireflies… but I left the path and… "

He patiently listened to the rest all the while gently wiping the new tears away. When she finished he reassured, "He can't hurt you. In fact… I bet he got pretty scared when you started screaming."

"R-really? You… you really think that would help?"

"Yep. You got quite the pair of lungs on yah. I say, if he gives you any more grief let him have it." Her father then gave a goofy grin and put his fists to his ears. Then popping his fingers suddenly free and wiggling he made playful exploding sounds. As if his eardrums were bursting one by one before he slipped to the floor moaning, eyes rolling back and twitching, like he was in the throes of dying. She giggled. He did too, rising back up. Tucking her back in, he mocked the odd man from her nightmare in various silly voices. In a deep one he ordered, "Human! Time to sleep! No more screams!"

She laughed harder and gave out a short one.

"Oh no! The screams… I can't stand the screams!" He cried out sounding rather duckish that time.

She screamed again a little louder and snickered breathlessly. As her father next pleaded out in a falsetto voice, "Oh stop! Please stop human!"

By the time her father kissed her cheeks then nose she was completely at ease. Smiling she closed her eyes, hugged her teddy bear tight and thought about how next time she would let that meanie have it. She almost could not wait. She liked to scream. In fact much to her mother's dismay she loved it.

=0=

Author's Notes: For those who have read my story before, I hope with this new prologue will provide a little more background for what is to come. Don't worry the old Prologue still is there only it's been changed into a chapter. Sorry I had a bit of a block lately due to some stuff going on in the last few months and second guessing what to do next with this story. Thank you so much for subscribing and patiently waiting for more chapters.


	2. Chapter One: 5:32pm

Chapter One: 5:32pm

_Decades later…_

Mr. Phillip S. Hobbs sat patiently at his wooden desk, waited and watched. The two well dressed women on the other side, who appeared to be in their mid-forties fussed over the newest report. Their heads almost touching, their eyes wide in interest as they bent over and stared down at the contents in the vanilla envelop opened in their laps.

After being on this case for five months he finally located their older estranged sister. What had come between the siblings, he did not know and doubted he would ever find out. All of his questions about the matter were met with a blank stare from the younger looking one of the two. From the older one a stern, "That is none of your concern, Mr. Hobbs."

_At least the pay was good-very good._

He silently reasoned while ruffling a hand through his short blonde hair. Smiling to himself, he knew exactly how he was going to spend it. On one of those new tiny smart cars which even though his six foot plus frame could barely squeeze into it would come in handy when it came to parking and more importantly save on gas.

But besides the money from this job he was going to miss the challenge. This case had been one of the most pleasant yet frustrating ones he had accepted. A far cry from his usual clientele of men and women suspecting their loved ones were straying.

Their request seemed simple at first. But the lack of information and family ties that turned up in the woman's background check left him with many questions.

She had not been easy to find but given what he found, he had a rough idea upon why. The flash of sadness over the women's faces but how they then moved quickly on to read more told him they already knew of the tragic events.

Now they were squinting at the photos he had taken of her while she had been gardening and later shopping.

"Do you think this could be her?" The younger one of the two asked the other.

The older one made a frustrated face at the photo, "Impossible to tell. This could be anyone." Looking up at him, she hastily added, "Since it has been so long or are you toying with us Mr. Hobbs?"

He smiled use to her suspicious nature and knew better than to waist his breath with reassurances when none could be given. When even he was not one hundred percent sure if he had found the right woman.

"Yes so long," the younger echoed. She then opened her mouth to say something to her but looking at him thought the better of it. Taking out her check book she wrote out the amount of compensation for his time instead. Handing it to him she smiled sweetly, "We will be in touch if we need anything else, Thank you Mr Hobbs."

The older of the two looked less than pleased and skeptical of his findings. As her sister helped her up she glared and warned, "We most certainly will if this is not her. And your fee will also be reassessed!" Pointing the folder at him, she then demanded firmly. "One more thing... this is all of it. You have no other copies, correct?"

"That is correct," He lied easily. Never one to let information he collected go, another copy was safely under lock and key in his filing cabinet.

"Come Ochy, let us go. Oh have a lovely day Mr. Hobbs." The younger flushed and pulled her away. As they left Mr. Hobbs heard her exclaim in excitement, "The history fits! And if it is not truly her we will know soon enough. More than just for protocol's sake it may be prudent to see if she has… ah small friend nearby first to be sure, correct?"

"Yes Etty, we will send one of ours to find out and make polite introductions. We must make contact now that father is…"

As their voices faded down the hall as they made their way to the elevator, Mr. Hobbs quirked a brow and shook his head at their odd and cryptic words.

_Small friend? Oh whatever, it's not the first weird thing that has come out of their mouths and won't be the last._

From their monthly visits he came to the opinion they were just two very odd ducks. Yet something about their sometimes aloof manner and elegant movements gnawed at him. Ever cautious he had also checked into their backgrounds as well. He found their combined net worth from decades of discreet and shrewd investing was staggering. But their dates of birth bugged him the most. Putting them both into their early sixties but at first he pegged them to be much younger than that.

"Meh," he grunted and shrugged the minor concern off. "Oh what money can all buy..." He assumed that was the reason as his eyes dropped to the amount on the check. He smiled and hoped soon they would return after all, his wife would love to have a smart car as well.

=0=

As the women waited for their town car to pull up, what appeared to be a lone older man rose gracefully from his table at an outdoor café across the street from the building Mr. Hobbs small office resided in. Careful to not be noticed, he had followed them there, sat, waited and watched when earlier the women had entered. Yet now as their car came to a stop to pick them up, he put all caution aside and made his way to the edge of the street curb.

He stared at them hard and was not surprised when the older and ever the more guarded one sensed they were being watched first. She alerted the other and as they looked around he made no move to wave at them. Instead he patiently waited, with the knowledge that eventually they would recognize him, even in disguise.

They both jumped a little when they finally spotted him. The sporadic traffic separating them and the others walking upon the sidewalk about kept on but they remained still and regarded one another for a while warily. His next move broke the moment. Calmly he slipped between two parked vehicles and checked for oncoming before heading for them. The older one regaining her senses first jerked at the younger who still stared dolefully at him. Pausing in the middle of the street he could now hear them as she pushed her younger sister hastily at the car.

"Come! Ignore him but remember what our sister believes he has done!"

He gave a sad smile at the younger that paused before the open car door. Her dark eyes started to shimmer as she offered a weak protest to her older sister, "But do you truly think he could do such-"

"Do you wish to find out by losing your head? Think sister! We associate with them nearly as much as..."

He watched the older trail off in frustration and give the younger a good shove into the car. Behind them she slammed the door and shouted at the driver to go. Obediently, the chauffeur sped the women away. The younger looking back regretfully and the older scolding her for it. With a heavy heart he watched them go ignoring the blare of horns as one vehicle after another flew by inches from him unnoticed. He really had no quarrel with them and gave a resigned sigh before turning to the building they left.

_Run if you must, my dear children. But it will be only a matter of time till you will understand all I have done was for the best. For now the company of Mr. Hobbs will do._

He thought, gave a slow determined grim smile and started to cross the other half of the street. A taxi screeched to a stop, the driver laid on the horn and started to shout curses at him. Dian Cecht, Master Healer to the royal family of the Clan Bethmoora elves kept walking completely unfazed, his smile growing.

_Soon…__All the loose ends will be neatly tied, time will pass and I will cut them all away.__With my help, Prince Nuada's wound will be stitched closed, finally heal and a new era for our people will began... for we will not fade!_

=0=

End Notes:Sorry for this late second add on to this chapter but I now have a better idea of the external conflict to this story and it was needed to help set up a number of events that will come.

Thank you everyone for your kind and helpful feedback so far. It really does make my day. :)


	3. Chapter Two: 8:46pm

Chapter Two: 8:46pm

_Nine months, one week, three hours and fourteen minutes till this spell is dropped and her piece of the crown is mine._

He pushed the watch away, over the glass counter to the pawn man and waited. The man in his late fifties picked it up and held it to his ear before sticking a jeweler's loop into his eye to look it over.

"And where did you get this Nate?"

As Mr. Mike Guillermo waited for an answer, he could only close his eyes and lean against the display in exaustion. The seductive whispering in his head coming now when he was awake concerned him deeply. For decades ago it had been eardrum splitting screams which had tormented him when sleeping and sometimes even when he was not.

_At least this is not exactly the same… far-far from worse. _

He tried to now chalk it up to not getting enough sleep. But how could he get more? When a new recurring nightmare which started a few weeks ago would not go away?

Long past were the small eyes boring into his from the shadows before a maw opened wide to unleash pain, sadness and rage. Instead now the murmur of words was so faint, urgent and fast, he could not make them out let alone try to remember them. His faceless nightly lover offered more than strange pillow talk in the darkness. She was trying to distract him. Sometimes she succeeded and he would awake hard and frustrated to find the bed empty. But usually even in dreams, he could not give in to her embrace and charms, instead sought for the one thing he felt could save his people.

She would always try to stop him. Cling to him as her tone went from sorrowful and pleading to long mournful howls as he broke free from her embrace.

Then the confusing images would bombard him. It always started the same way, finally finding the long lost third piece of the golden crown. Taking it back from the frightened and screaming humans and knowing who held the remaining two, at last the Golden Army would soon rise again. But any joy in that small victory was washed away with death after death of everyone he held dear. Each one making his lover's cries of warning grow only louder till the last and most painful loss of all.

A sharp agonizing pain would pierce his heart and turning he could only helplessly watch as his beloved twin sister pulled a dagger free from her chest. Unable to stop him in any other way Princess Nuala used their strong telepathic link to end his life at the sacrifice of her own.

As he felt his body start to turn to brittle stone he heard the keening wails dissolve into bitter-soft sobs. Crashing to his knees, breaking apart Nuada Silverlance, the Crowned Prince of the Clan Bethmoora elves would only then jerk awake with a gasp, ears ringing, head pounding in time with his racing heart and his body covered in a cold sweat.

Between the nightmare and trying to make ends meet in his new life, Nuada was now having trouble keeping awake.

Mr. Mike Guillermo cleared his throat.

"We've been through this," he grumbled at the old man. "I find things that nobody wants and I fix them."

Putting the watch down he offered, "I'll give you fifty."

The watch was worth at least three times that. Opening his eyes and glaring at Mike, Nuada countered almost playfully, "A hundred and twenty."

They both grinned for this was the game they had played a dozen or so times already. The old man seemed to like the stuff he brought in and it sold quickly. The haggling was more of a habit. "Fine a hundred... final offer, Nate."

"Done Mr. Guillermo."

Leaving the shop, Nuada could not even put his finger upon why he felt compelled to go upon these nightly walks besides the inability to get peaceful sleep. Not in the dark subterranean tunnels of this filthy and poisonous city, the way he traveled only a few months before to avoid detection with Mr. Wink. But instead alone upon the streets among the very beings he despised so much. Although, Mike was starting to slowly grow upon him.

Under a cloak of glamor of course. But even if he could drop his disguise entirely he doubted the jaded New Yorkers would at the very most only give him a second look, perhaps a shrug or a roll of their eyes.

To him, they all seemed so absorbed in themselves. They only saw what they wanted to see. Ignoring the homeless upon the street or the very people they stood next to while waiting for the light to change. His lip curled downwards in disgust as he watched a few yammering away upon their mobile phones or thumbing away insipid text messages.

_Would they just ignore me as well? Or would they try to explain me away with their rigid and small minds? Dam these weaker hollow things. They are so much like their ancestors. Holding little if any regard to the natural forces around them. Instead they only seek to break and control rather than respect and ask them for help. They cover the Earth in crushed stone and it will only be a matter of time before they consume all the green which remains._

_During the day when they are not scurrying from one place to another they hide for the most part in their cooled or heated buildings of iron, steel, glass, brick and concrete. They grow ever the more weaker yet ever the more hungrier. At night to push back the darkness with their lights they drowned out the beautiful stars. Oh I will make them remember why they fear the dark. I will show them true hunger._

Nuada gave a dark smile but did not bother to look up tonight. To try and find at least the moon above the mostly seven story tall buildings of Brooklyn, for it would only anger him more to see it stained by all of the filth in the air. Instead he looked back into Mike's now darkened shop window. He was about to close for the night and Nuada catching his reflection gave pause to regard his changed appearance.

It always startled him yet he did not look much different. A part of spell for Nuala's wager had given him only enough glamour to pass as a human. The royal scars upon his face were now gone along with his pointed ears and a maze like circular mark upon each side of his temples.

After his daily morning training he no longer dressed in elven made garments. Instead under a wool black coat he wore a simple un-tucked white cotton t-shirt, jeans and broken in black leather boots.

His eyes instead of golden were now an unremarkable light brown along with his long hair. His skin was still pale but not nearly as much as its usual inhuman bone white shade. Although his coloring now helped him blend in, it had not changed the other features of his face and body. The battle scars upon his body, the high strong cheek bones, the hard look in his deep set eyes, stern set to his jaw and determined line of his mouth. That remained.

Checking the time through the glass at one of the many clocks now on display as Mike began to pull the protective shutter down, Nuada compulsively did the math again.

_Nine months, one week, three hours and five minutes till her piece of the crown is mine._

When he agreed to the bargain, a year seemed like nothing. Yet he had lived as a human for a little less than three months and yet in his long life, time had never seemed to have gone by so slowly till now.

He could handle not going to the Troll Market or any other similar hidden territories. Only Nuala had failed to elaborate upon other details of the wager. But in all fairness in his over confidence he had also foolishly failed to ask for them.

The enchantment he soon discovered, also rob him of his hard earned strength and stamina honed by centuries of life and hard training. No longer could he jump as high, flip as easily, move as fast, strike as hard or practice as long. It was just the first of several trials he would have to endure. Another being he could still tinker with things but it took more time, the final results were below previous quality and more importantly he was unable to enchant them.

With exemption of the pendent for the wager about his neck, he could not touch anything that held magic without it causing him severe pain. Not even his favorite weapon, which he carried for so very long it had become a part of his identity. An enchanted silver lance which repaired itself if broken and whose staff could reduce and lengthen, he had no choice but to entrust to Mr. Wink to keep safe for the year.

_Which is turning out to be a very slow moving one. Am I to be subjected to even how humans perceive time as well?_

Dread filled him as he scowled in apprehension and remembered her seemingly simple request.

_"Will you live as a human for one year and for doing so receive my piece of the crown, dear brother?"_

At someone crashing into him at a full run, Nuada returned to the present in an instant. The young human did not even apologize and just kept going or at least tried. But even with his new limitations, his instincts still remained. Without hesitation Nuada's hand shot out and after a few feet was able to grab the offending human by the collar, yank him into the alley and slam him against a brick wall.

The young man had barely enough time to shout out a, "Hey man!" before he was falling flat on his face into a dirty puddle after bouncing off of the building.

Calmly he squatted before him and stated calmly, "I believe you have something of mine that I want back."

The pick pocket wincing after pulling his face from the puddle denied it with a rather uncreative, "Fuck you man! I'm going to…" Wisely he then shut up and nervously scrambled to his feet. Apparently this was not the first time he had seen that deadly unwavering look in the eyes of another. Or maybe the pendent had shifted from Nuada's skin causing the slow emergence of his true and fierce elven features. Regardless of the reason Nuada gave him a slow cold grin.

What the young man had stolen, he now decided it was not worth it. Bravado completely gone, he held up his hands and stammered, "L-look man s-sorry-was nothin' personal." Dropping one hand he pulled the worn leather wallet out and tossed it as if it burned.

Nuada rising, caught it without looking, charged at the young man. His cold grin becoming savage. "Neither is this thief!" With only one punch the young man crumpled to the ground unconscious.

Nuada gave a disgusted sigh at what he sensed with just that briefest of contact. The desperation, hunger and greed the human's mind held. Stomach clenching, he wiped the back of his hand upon his coat at all of the poisons the barely more than a child willfully injected into his fragile human body.

"_You must also kill no humans during this time."_ Nuala had also stipulated in the bargain.

_But they are such stupid creatures…_

He scoffed and stuffed his wallet back into his lapel pocket after checking to see if all of the contents were still present. There wasn't much: a few library cards, five twenties, two fives and a Metro Pass but he had worked hard to earn the money. And the pricy fake ID provided by his dear friend Mr. Wink was probably the most important thing of all. If he could not raise enough money from fixing things he would have to use it to get a job. With little history to give an employer, he seriously doubted he would find one which paid well.

Stepping out of the alley, Nuada caught a whiff of something clean among exhaust ridden air. Upon a whim he decided to follow it to its source. The whispering started up again but he ignored it. The park was nothing compared to the many grand forests he had seen grow, thrive and were eventually cut down. Which the humans used for fires, homes, ships, books and many tools, all to keep growing, to keep consuming over the centuries. Still, it was a spot of welcome green among the gray.

Exploring the park till the dawn, he only encountered a few other for the most part harmless wandering souls that were not supposed to be there so late as well. Sadly he neither saw or heard or found any trace of his kind. Sitting upon a log off a path and glaring at a discarded chip bag covering something delicate and struggling to grow he understood why. Oddly it was at that moment the murmur of words stopped the moment his eyes found it. Chucking it up to coincidence he rose and was simply relived it finally stopped.

Returning to his sixth floor shabby apartment in a walk up nine blocks away he looked at the various broken things he had collected that the humans discarded. Resting his eyes upon the mantle clock he had recently repaired he did the math yet again.

_Nine months, six days, seventeen hours and thirty-six minutes till this spell is dropped and her piece of the crown is mine._


	4. Chapter Three: 11:39am

**Chapter Three: 11:39am**

_Nine months, four days, twelve hours and twenty-one minutes _

Maura Laurel Healy stared at the computer monitor's clock in the lower right hand corner, gave a sigh and rubbed her sore dark brown eyes with trembling fingers. As the short flimsy walls of her tiny cubical pressed in on her the phones kept ringing. And she wondered how the others in the large office continued to answer them with any amount of cheerfulness.

_It can only be possible through a combination of caffeine and anti-psychotic medication!_

She fumed silently and played with the silver and amethyst locket around her neck while glancing at the time again. Even though it was twenty minutes to her lunch break she was in no mood to take another call. The last one had taken almost an hour and it had been the worst one she ever dealt with in her two weeks of working there.

She could handle the ones who were stupid. She could handle the ones who were mean. It was when those traits were combined into one person, there was a problem.

It took her twelve minutes alone to get the woman to calm down and stop yelling at her. The rest of the time Maura spent giving mind numbing step by step instructions. Each one further broken down into tiny baby steps that a seven year old could understand, yet the grown woman on the other end of the phone stumbled over in panic.

What drove the woman to verbally abuse her? Her dish was not working and she was afraid of missing _the Bachelor_. For her taste in entertainment alone made Maura instantly loath her. But then guiltily she thought about how very sad that woman's life must be to flip out over such a pointless reality show.

_And she probably hates navigating through those endless menus when she calls in like I do too. _

Now leaning forward, rubbing the pressure points under the start of her eyebrows, she tried not to take any of the woman's insults personally and waited. Thinking it was only a matter of time before her boss would call her to his office to give her another lecture. Given he expected everyone to keep each one of the calls that came in under ten minutes and to take at least fifty of them a day. She was only at twenty-eight but taking off her head-set and muting the ringer she refused to take any more.

Instead of dreading the remaining four hours left on her shift, she tried to think over her options. She wondered over what compelled her to come to New York City besides her best friend, Helen's urging.

Now also roommates, Maura and her still got along but quickly realized they didn't quite see eye to eye with their feelings about urban life. Even though the both of them grew up Upstate, it seemed only Maura missed the fresher air, trees and space away from other people while Helen was charged by the fast pace of the city and fed-off the energies of crowds.

Doing volunteer work at Prospect Park helped but with each passing week the awe and wonder of the great city was fading fast.

_"Mo anam cara…"_

"Oh not now." She trembled at the strange words murmured in a masculine voice which kept echoing within her mind. Right now they were nothing more than one more torment. It didn't change the fact that she hated this job and Helen would, to put it lightly, be upset if she lost it.

_Maybe I should take one more call before lunch._

She thought closing her eyes tighter and the pounding in her head got louder.

_"Mo chuisle…"_

With a moan she shook her head and tried to block out the feel of last night's not so unpleasant dreams aside and worried.

_I really-really hope that last call wasn't a performance review._

Although the woman on the other end of the line seemed calmed and satisfied. If it turned out she had accepted the option to take a short survey after Maura hung up, she was probably screwed. And not in the way she was enjoying before waking up that morning.

"Healy!"

_Oh that fucking spiteful bitch!_

Maura refused to jump but instead let out a slow breath and sucked another one in before looking up to find her boss glowering at her from the door to his office.

It had taken everything not to inform the woman that she was currently a waste of space and hang up. She had been patient. She had bent over backwards to help her. But apparently not enough according to the survey the woman submitted.

There really was not much in the dreaded filing box she now carried out of the one of many tall buildings in Midtown Manhattan. But they still wanted her to carry one out and she kept her head high as she took the walk of shame to the elevator.

It had been just yet another lecture about her call length and daily numbers. But coming to a decision she only smiled at him, crossed her arms and waited for him to ask, "What are you grinning about Healy?"

Shrugging it grew. "You know I think I'm going to take the rest of the day off."

"If you do that I'll have no choice but to-"

"I quit," Maura declared happily and walked out of his office still beaming. She then ignored the questioning glances and worried about more important things.

Like how "Mount Saint Helen" was going to blow and possibly kill her unless she could come up with a positive spin. The "I hated that job and you should have seen his face Helen" argument was not going to cut it or more importantly, help pay her share of the bills.

_Maybe I can hold off telling her for a few days. Do some sketching in the park while she thinks I'm working. Maybe I'll finally get a call back._

She had submitted a résumé and letters of recommendation at every hospital for a paramedic position and yet to hear anything after nearly three weeks of being in New York. With two years of medical school under her belt, she belatedly realized she did not want to be a doctor. It was too much red tape and politics. Nursing still left her with paperwork and equally stuck in the hospital all of the time.

No, she craved to be out there on the front lines. Felt her abilities would be put to better use the sooner she could get to someone who needed help.

Although now Dr. Helen Ann Barry still thought she had gone nuts, for her she was willing to pull some strings. But just starting her residency at Kings County Hospital, she only had one to pull and she needed to wait until she was sure that pulling it would be good for the both of them.

Pushing worries aside for now, Maura made a bee line to Penn Station and hoped to catch the Q train. It was an express line which ran to Prospect Station. At noon the subway was crowded but she would endure it and promised herself a trip to the Park. Trying to ignore the press of people, their chaotic vibes around her she chewed her lower lip.

_Maybe the Food Co-Op a few blocks from home is hiring. The pay might not be as good but an extra employee discount would make up for that. _

She silently reasoned. Already she donated three hours of work there every four weeks to maintain their membership. But the idea of getting an even better discount on fresh pesticide free fruits, veggies, whole grains, hormone free meats and free range eggs made her smile only grow more.

Arriving at Prospect Station she along with a hundred or so other people exited the train. Realizing she still had the incriminating filing box, she set it down on a bench and picked out the few items which were in it: a couple of photos, pens and a note pad. After shoving everything away into her book bag and unable to locate a place to recycle the box she looked about to see if anyone needed it.

Finding a man fussing with a torn flimsy plastic grocery bag, she handed him the box without a word about how a reusable one would not have broken and just gave a warm smile. He returned it in relief but she was gone before he could think to thank her.

Hustling up the stairs all of her thoughts were upon getting to Prospect Park and sketching. At the top of them she thought about the look on her former boss's face and playfully swung herself around the railing with a laugh. A man jumped out of her way deftly. His insulted and stern expression only made her start to giggle harder.

"Hey... Sorry about-"

She blinked when he jerked his arm away as if she was a beggar. Honestly she did not know why she touched him. Not when she tried as hard as possible not to touch anyone unless she absolutely had too but he looked like he was ready to explode.

The sneer he gave next she did not let ruin her mood and with a shrug of her shoulders and a cool, "Okay..." she started quickly to the corner. He was handsome, she would give him that and maybe it was the real reason she took the opportunity. But she wondered how soon the guy would drop dead of a heart attack from being wound up so very tight.

=0=

Nuada glared after her. Partly enraged that a lowly mortal woman dared to touch him but mostly from what he not only learned but actually felt in the brief contact: peace and a radiating joy. How it affected him was more so startling.

All of the emotional pain and tension which had built up over the centuries within him was for that moment suddenly gone. It just slipped away and from the lack of the burden he nearly gasped and weaved, light headed. Yet his old soul, suspicious of a possible trap had him soon jerking from the human's pleasant touch.

_At least she appears to be human. _

He thought while sucking in a breath. The weight of worry over the safety of his people crushed down over him once more. As he watched how her smile dimmed only slightly before she continued past him to the corner and waited to cross. When the other humans started walking, she turned back to him and stumbled a little. He felt his irritation rise another notch as their eyes met again and he saw what was in hers.

_Pity?_

She had looked upon him with not insult or wounded pride at his reaction.

_No… just pity. How dare her! _

Before he even realized what he was doing he already started after her, keeping a seemingly casual distance. To not draw the woman's suspicion as he tried to ignore his sister's numerous questions from within. Sensing his relief, then rage and not getting any answers, she gave up and worriedly cautioned.

"_As you live as a man now it is best to follow their laws dear brother. Please do not hurt anyone and remember-"_

"_I do!" _He winced as Nuala saddened and broke contact. Promising to apologize to her later for his poor temper, he concentrated upon tracking the woman in the gradually thinning crowd. Wondering over why he had become so curious over a simple clumsy human with poor eye sight and not even in the best of shape.

_I imagine Mr. Wink would have a good laugh over this, if he ever finds out_.

He scolded himself and watched her take the path that would lead to what the humans called the Ravine. He stopped and tore his gaze from her to the one he stood upon, debating.

Her soft humming caught his sharp ears. The enchantment he was under apparently had not hobbled that sense.

_Or I cannot hear no better than a mere human._

He frowned at the idea and her as she stopped every so often to bend down and pick up a piece of garbage. Her actions drawing his head to tilt to the side in confusion.

_Why not? It is not as if I have anything better to do. _

He decided and continued after her. By then her pace had slowed from almost running to a leisurely walk while staring through the trees as if looking for something.

When she stopped and left the path in one of the deepest parts of the woods, he scowled. Apparently he was not the only one who liked this spot he had found a few days earlier. From behind a tree he watched as she carefully set down the garbage she collected and stepped between the plants till she reached a fallen tree stump. Then sitting down upon it she pulled out a drawing pad and began sketching intently.

_A flower yet to bloom?_

He presumed with a snort. Since every now and then she was looking over her glasses to a _lythrum salicaria _or more commonly known a purple loosestrife with increased irritation. He had no idea why. In June it would produce multiple pretty violet blooms upon a long stalk. In fall its leaves would become a stunning red.

But with a sigh after a few minutes she put down her work, pulled a crumpled paper bag from her backpack and stormed up to the plant. Nuada winced as she ripped it, roots and all from the ground with a grunt. He clenched his fists in anger as she shook off the excess dirt then stuffed the entire plant into the bag as she returned to the log. Sitting back down she labeled then put it away. Crushing it into her backpack while muttering, "I'm sorry but you don't belong here. So to Gran's you go."

Her comment had Nuada's temper evaporating instantly in realizing something. She was right. Purple Loosestrife was not a native plant to this area but from England. The invasive flower if left growing would spread easily over time and only put a strain upon the small native forest he learned recently to his surprise, the humans were trying to restore.

When she started drawing again, he figured she would be there for a while and he wondered what to do next.

_Stay or go? _

Spotting a part of newspaper among the trash she collected, he snatched it up and planted himself on a bolder by the path. Snapping it open and grimacing at its inky smell he pretended to read it while continuing his observation of what she was doing over a shoulder. Occasionally while she worked she would hum, mutter something or sing a few catchy lines from what her people consider to be music.

"Oh well, I guess we're gonna find out… Let's see how far we've come… Let's see how far we've come."

Hours passed but with every increasing frequency she paused to close her eyes and turn her face up to the setting sun to sigh softly but happily.

The forest glowed orange about them in the waning rays of light. Belatedly he noticed how it gave a touch of red to the tips of what he thought was just her black wavy hair only an inch longer than his own. Sucking in a slow breath through his nose, Nuada then thought back to when she brushed on by earlier.

_Whatever she uses, I wonder how it smells like green apples of all things. _

Entering the park he also recalled how she had immediately pulled it free from a simple pony tail. It now curtained around her face as she bend over her work. At least until she tucked some of it behind a round ear. Granted it held a touch of noxious chemicals but she seemed to use far less than other humans.

Casting glances from the paper, he watched her eventually stop drawing, put the pad away and stretch. After placing the back pack between her legs on the ground she leaned back upon her hands and seemed to fall into a casual meditation pose with what he thought was an infuriating smile.

_How can anyone be so happy when this world is dying? Only a human fool!_

He gave a sniff and snapped the paper again. Well over several yards away from her he doubted she heard it. The wind picking up only slightly wiggled the corners. Yet he could feel a storm coming. It would be raining soon, not that it would bother him. The woman on the other hand, he wondered how she would react.

_Will she scurry for cover? Cry out in protest? _

As the first few drops started he gave a smirk and waited. When she did not budge an inch, Nuada quirked a brow.

He could feel the air becoming heavier and charged as the wind blew harder through the trees. The soft rustling wave of thousands of tender budding spring leaves calmed his nerves. Forgetting the odd woman he folded the paper away and closed his eyes to listen. He gave a small sigh of relief at the first rumble of thunder. More rain fell but it was warm and Nuada's grin grew as the tendrils of energy from the Earth entwined with his. So happy his sister did not rob him of this very basic ability with the wager enchantment.

"You can feel it too?"

It took everything in him to not stupidly jump at the sound of her gentle voice.

_And just how did she get so close undetected?_

Nuada silently fumed and slowly opened his eyes to glare up at her. Seeing the anger her smile vanished as her cheeks flushed.

"Oh, it's you again. I um… sorry about earlier, I was just in a hurry to get here and relax. The city is okay but I'm from Upstate and well… I miss the trees sometimes. Ah, how long have you been sitting there?"

He rose to his feet and narrowed his eyes. "You miss trees?"

Embarrassed now her blush deepened. Nervously adjusting the straps over both of her shoulders, she reluctantly answered, "Yeah… Look I was just babbling and I'm guessing you'd like to be alone so-"

"Feel what?"

She gave a confused look, bent down and hurriedly picked up the trash she had collected earlier.

"From before... What did you mean?" He bit back the word human but did not soften his features or hold back the bitterness as he continued. "How could you possibly know what I feel?"

Momentarily she squirmed under his critical stare before pulling herself together and refused with, "Never mind. I doubt someone like you would understand."

"Oh truly? Someone like me?" He laughed. Because he did and surely more than this human claimed she could feel.

Insulted by his reaction she stomped the puddle between them just so that mud splashed over his feet and shins. "Ow! Yes you... you yuppie moron!"

Instantly he stopped and it took him a moment to process what just happened. No female, human or of his kind had ever dared to do such a rude thing to him. And the woman was also not waiting around for his reaction.

Clenching her small hands around the garbage in anger, she marched around him and continue to sputter, "W-why don't you take your smug ass back to your gas guzzling SUV before... before that probably overpriced designer wool coat of yours starts to… starts to… stink!"

The dirt now on his jeans and boots did not bother him so much, her off the mark words however were the last straw.

"Yuppie... Moron? Smug!" He shouted after her as his temper rose.

When she did not react, he grabbed her upper arm, pulled her around and they both instantly froze to glare at one another. And like before when she touched him the tension once again dissolved away but this time he did not feel peace or joy only fear. Her fear. It was painfully infecting him. Hastily he let her go. His anger quickly evaporating, leaving only more embarrassment behind.

"I... Forgive me..." He started and was suddenly at a loss for words.

She frowned at where he had made contact with her bare skin inspecting it for bruises and to his surprise he found himself worrying if he had caused any.

_No... no I was barely around her arm when-_

"Do that again and I'll-"

"I will not. I swear. Once more, I am sorry." He paused, pressing his lips into a stern line. Wondering why he was apologizing to her yet again-this human.

She only scowled back at him. The earlier deceptively meek and gentle aspects about her character were now completely gone. Replaced with for the moment restrained aggression to whom she perceived was a possible threat: Him.

Because of her people, his were dying out. She was the enemy and yet he found himself suddenly blurting out, "What have I done to upset you so?"

=0=

Instead of answering, she started to walk away. Maura did not like it when anyone touched her, this strange man especially. The burning anger and hatred from him was near paralyzing in its intensity. Rubbing at the spot nervously she hoped this guy was only an asshole and not a serial rapist or murderer.

Hearing him give a loud frustrated sigh only had her eyes rolling behind her rain drop covered lenses. Squinting over them down the path she spotted a trash receptacle and thought.

_Stink? Really Maura, you couldn't have come up with nothing better than that?_

He was attractive. She was furious. Maura shook off her inner critic and just congratulated herself for being able to form complete sentences given the circumstances.

Just when she thought he was history, he called out, "I was not laughing at you but the irony of the situation."

Jerking to a stop and looking back she muttered, "Yeah right! Playing tag you're it with me or something? Explain to me why you're following me."

He blinked dumbly at her demand. True, he had no way of knowing that this was her favorite spot and that she was rather irrationally territorial about it but she did not care.

The rotting soft log was rather comfy. It was off the path and for the most part was an undisturbed space. Her space. And for the last few days after work she had been documenting the progress of some rather beautiful_sebacina sparassoidea_. A native white and complex looking fungus that resembled sea coral she discovered when she picked up and empty bag of_Doritos_. But she would be dammed if she was going to admit that to him. For all she knew he would go back there and stomp the poor thing flat out of sheer spite.

His smug and confident look faltered but for only a moment. Gracefully he walked up to her while she put the un-recyclable litter away in its proper place and the rest into her bag to sort out later.

As she cupped and washed her hands with the falling rain, he offered smoothly, "I wanted to apologize for being rude earlier when we nearly ran into each other. When you sat down and started drawing I loathed disturbing you. So I waited. I did not anticipate you would be so long." Holding up a paper he added, "And I lost track of time while reading this."

"Really, the Style section of the _New York Times_?"

She didn't miss the tightening in his grin and irritation in his pale brown eyes as she snatched the paper from him. He thought for a moment as she stuffed it in her bag with the other things and then gave a nod to her arm.

"And once more I wish to say sorry to lay a rough hand upon you. It was most rude of me. Allow me to make amends."

_A rough hand? Amends? Who the hell says that?_

Maura cocked an eyebrow and commented, "You have a really odd way of putting things Mr.…"

He stepped forward and extended his hand, "Nate… well Nathan Lance. But you may call me Nate, if you wish."

Remembering what happened the last time he touched her, Maura understandably did not want to take it. But not wanting to be rude she reluctantly reached out. Yet he did not shake it but instead held it as if he were about to kiss it. As his head dipped her eyes widened. But only closing his and bowing over it she let out a slow breath of relief. Looking up his pale brown eyes seemed to appear yellow and his skin even paler through the rain and in the nearly set sun.

Snatching her hand back as soon as he let it go, she resisted the urge to wipe it clean and stuffed it into a pocket instead. When he gave a tight smile she returned the gesture as the turbulence of feelings from him faded away. Once again she had sensed the anger and hate but at least to a far lesser degree.

For as long as she could remember, she bore this curse. But at least she could only sense other's emotions and drives when touching them. Still growing up it had caused her problems.

It was not until she entered first grade that she realized the other children lacked the ability. When she asked them why they did not feel other's feelings, some of them laughed at her while others called her a liar or worse... a freak.

It only took one very painful day of merciless teasing for her to promise herself to never speak of it again. And occasional jokes in the following months at her expense to reinforce her resolution. Thankfully by the third grade nobody brought it up anymore. They had forgotten and even she tried to, shying away from all physical contact from anyone who was outside of her family.

Even now it still caused her problems. Sometimes it just really hurt to always have a rough idea about how someone she loved or liked or even just met felt about her. Yet from painful misunderstandings she had come to learn the direction or focus of them was not always about her but other things in that person's life.

_Perhaps, he's just having a bad day... a really-really-really bad day. _

_S_he hoped for never had she sensed those emotions so intensely in anyone before. It thankfully had faded to near peace before he released her with a small smile.

She was comforted by one thing. She knew he wasn't a psychopath or sociopath. Thankfully only the second she had encountered a few times over her thirty years. It only took one touch to know, usually with something as simple as a handshake.

They were empty and that frightened her far more than Nate's hateful rage. The vacuum within each of what she called "the hollow ones" would painfully suck at her as a confused but soon delighted greedy look would fill their eyes.

Maura shivered. The spring rain, although refreshing was starting to chill her. Giving Nate a short nod, she turned from him and started her way home. Hugging herself, she dismissed him without a word.

_I don't have time for this, plus it's getting dark and soon the park will not be so safe. _

"Here," he whispered.

She looked up from the path and was not really surprised that he had fallen in step with her but what he offered did.

Leaning in only slightly, he grinned and teased, "Although I do fear the smell of it may offend you."

Wincing at her earlier fit, she gave his wool coat a sniff and kidded back, "Not too bad yet. So Nate, about that SUV..."

"Sorry, I do not have one. Horrible wasteful things, we will have to walk," he gave slowly but now with good humor.

Maura gave a small shy grin when he helped drape his coat over her shoulders and backpack. When she glanced at him she tried not to stare for long. The rain coming down hard was already starting to plaster the white V-neck shirt he was wearing to his chest. Little was left to the imagination. Swallowing hard she kept her eyes to the path ahead and tried to think of something witty to say besides asking him the redundant question of "Hey, do you work out?"

"And your name?"

"Oh!" She took a moment to forget about his six-pack, pecks and biceps and try to remember it. "Its Maura Healy."

"Irish."

"Yes."

"I grew up in Ireland… a very-very-very long time ago."

Maura smirked and rolled her eyes, "Oh come on you are not old."

"You'd be surprised," he chuckled as they reached one of the small roads running through the park.

"Try me, how old are you?"

"Guess," he countered back with another soft laugh.

Digging the sound of it she let the crappy first impression of him slide and used the opportunity to openly study him, humming softly as they kept walking. "I dunno… what if I guess too high? I'd hate to hurt your feelings. How about forty?"

To that Nate only started to laugh harder.


	5. Chapter Four: 7:06 pm

Chapter Four: 7:06 pm

_Nine months, four days, five hours and fifty-four minutes_

When their laughter faded into smiles and they walked together in silence it hit him. He was having fun and with all creatures, a human.

_At least she appears to be._

He tried to reassure himself again as they reached the main street running through the park.

After checking the time on her phone and leaning on the bus stop sign she declared, "Next one should be coming in about three minutes."

"Next what?"

She pointed to the sign, looking up and down the road for it.

"And why not walk home?"

At the flash of lightning and soft rumble of thunder, Maura looked up. Her dark brown eyes widening as a small frown over took her delicate lips. Prudently she got away from the metal sign. Reaching his side she finally answered, "Because I live on the fourth floor of a walk up which is over ten blocks away plus it's starting to get late and lighting out. In other words Nate, I'm not a Hobbit."

Nuada furrowed his brow at her and mouthed, "A hobbit?"

"Not a Tolkien fan huh?"

"Oh… _those_books, utter nonsense."

"Really? How surprising." She smirked watching him from the corner of her eye.

"And why is that?" He regarded her warily as she hummed, drew close and boldly gave a one of his now brown wet tendrils a small tug.

Absently starting to curl it around her finger, she finally replied, "Your long hair makes you look like an elf." Her tone was playful but looking up into his eyes it faded away as a quiet moment fell between them.

She was very close now, touching him again and Nuada thought he would certainly be angry if it were not for the irony in her comment. Stepping closer, tilting his head, softly he challenged, "Is that so? And what else about me strikes you as such."

Cheeks flushed, she dropped her hand, took a step back and failed at a casual shrug. Her hand trembling, she stuffed it into a back pocket. Nuada smiled as she struggled for words but it faded when she managed, "Dunno… Never met an elf and I'd hate to presume they're all as grumpy and wound up as you are."

As he took a step away, she cleared her throat and kept nervously looking for the bus he then took the opportunity to study her in closer proximity. She certainly looked like a human. Even her face lacked delicacy to be considered a typical great elven beauty. Still Nuada grudgingly found her stronger womanly features were pleasing to the eye.

Taking a deep breath he noted she also smelled like other humans. Of numerous chemicals but like hours before, the intensity of those scents were not as great when compared to others he had encountered. She even moved like a human as well, relaxed and a little clumsy.

It was what she had said to him when the storm started, what he sensed from her and how she caught him off guard which nagged at him the most. In his long life he had never touched a human without recoiling away in disgust. Not that he touched many or for very long. In fact she was the first human looking female to touch him ever and it had been surprisingly pleasant. Staring at her he wondered.

_Could I have been so wrong about them for all of these centuries? No… no she is just not what she seems._

Curiosity peaked. Nuada decided he would not lose track of her until he discovered the truth about this odd female.

_If not for anything but entertainment value alone._

"Tell me what you thought I felt back there when it started to rain," he ordered but at least bit back the word human again.

She turned slowly to him and quirked a brow. "What? So you can have another laugh at my expense? Um… Not going to happen, pal. Plus if you think I'm going to ask 'how high?' when you shout 'jump' you can think again."

"Very well," Nuada offered tightly in order to suppress the urge to apologize to her yet once more. He next paused to take a moment to change tactics since he was so use to giving orders and having them obeyed with few hesitations. "I will disclose something first then if you wish you can also."

At her lack of a comment, he watched her carefully and pressed on with, "When a storm comes I feel stillness inside yet a charge in the air." Noticing her crossed arms under her breasts relax ever so slightly, he paused. When the wary look in her eyes faltered as he added, "Everything becomes clearer and if I hold still it feels like the very air embraces me." He then gave her his most charming grin but refused to give her anymore instead he waited patiently.

She looked away, her arms tightening as her hands pulled his coat more around herself. Minutes passed and just when he thought she would not play along, she closed her eyes and softly admitted, "Look… it's sorta hard to put it into words. It feels… it feels like a part of me sinks into the Earth but I'm not losing anything. I'm just… reconnecting with everything. It's one of the best feelings ever. Everything makes sense and everything is suddenly okay. I feel small but a part of something bigger than myself. Laugh at that and I'll…" she left the threat fall flat seeing his blank expression. "What is it?"

Nuada could only blink at her as a chill ran down his spine. For every magical creature sensed what she described. Recovering he broke the tension with, "Do you think anyone can do this or just a few… like us?"

"So… so you really do feel it too?"

The mix of yearning and vulnerability in her question had him nodding slowly and utterly serious. Whatever she was, he did not have it in him to doubt her now or laugh about it like before. Even if her face was not an open book of painful uncertainty and wariness, he could tell from the way she asked alone that she had been hurt in some way for being different in the past.

"Yes."

His one simple word relaxed her and with a shy smile she admitted. "I'd like to think everyone can, Nate. It's just that so few people take the time anymore to open their minds to it."

Remembering another earlier doubt he had about her, softly he added, "Earlier… the trees. I miss them too sometimes when I'm here in this city."

Her smile grew to that but she did not look at him. Instead they just stood quietly in the rain, saying nothing.

When the bus had finally arrived, she jerked her head at it. "Come on, Nate you owe me. How did you put it? Amends? I'm in the mood for some soup and there is this great Co-Op on the way home - if it's not out of your way that is."

Noticing the bus was heading in the general direction of his apartment, Nuada without a word climbed on and sat down next to her. As it started to move he looked about them since he did not know what else to say or do. Wet and tired, nobody looked happy or talked the exception was Maura.

As they left Grand Army Plaza she asked, "Have you been to the one on Union?"

"No."

"It doesn't look like much from the street but I have a feeling you'll like it there. Well I do, since they strive to buy from local organic farmers. Probably one of the most affordable places to get the healthiest food in New York – well short of any posh and snooty restaurant that is booked for months but perfect for us mere peasants."

When he said nothing and only nodded, she chewed her lower lip and turned to look out the window to watch for their stop.

=0=

_Small talk is really hard with the silent type._

Maura decided wincing on the inside as Nate fell into either deep thought or utter disinterest. It was not until they entered the Co-Op and he made a face while flaring his nostrils that she took another stab at it.

"That's probably the vinegar based cleaning products that you smell. We try to use them instead of toxic chemicals to be more environmentally friendly." At his small flash of interest she led them to the counter explaining, "Yep... It's not just for pickling. So what will it be?" She pointed to the menu above the casher's head written neatly upon a chalk boards and added, "My treat. The least I can do for the mud on your jeans. You can make amends some other time."

As he sniffed the air, strolled over to the soups to give them a dubious look, she tried not to laugh or stare. His coloring was dull but that word used to describe him ended there. She found his features handsome despite the nearly unwavering stern expression which marred it. The way he moved also added to his appearance. He was, to put it simply, graceful.

_Yet a bit too tense. As if he has the weight of the world on his shoulders._

She thought then ordered, "I'll take a bowl of chicken soup and some green tea please. Nate?" When he did not respond she tried, "Hey… Earth to Lance, what will it be?" It earned her a glower but she smirked, ignoring it to pull a few wet bills from her pocket.

"I to will have what she has selected."

Maura bit down on her lower lip hard to not make a sound of surprise or worse let out a mortifying giggle. He was suddenly very close again and that along with the velvety tone of his voice had the butterflies in her stomach fluttering once more. Every time he talked they stirred and upon rare occasion when he met her eyes and smiled they would fall stunned and twirling down into her pelvis.

Even though she thought this guy was a bit of a jerk at times, Maura had never found herself so physically attracted to anyone in her life. Perhaps, it was a bit of luck he was so prickly, it kept her on her toes and hopefully relatively normal. When he tilted his head at her, she gave a small cough and tore her gaze to the casher, paid the man and thought.

_Oh dear, how long was I standing there staring at him like some moron? Jeez! Get a grip! He was just ordering food for Pete's sake!_

As they waited by the counter, Maura looked at his hands and found no ring. As she offered him a spoon and got one for herself, she wracked her brain over the little, if any experience she had with the opposite sex.

True, she had plenty of guy friends through the years but when it came to letting them know she was interested in more, the thought of rejection was paralyzing. What she sensed from them and how they acted around her only added to her confusion. For those who had managed to become closer to her, dealing with their jumble of emotions during intimate moments was yet another tiring hurtle. And any vile thought they had while they touched her would end things immediately.

Walking to a small bistro table and chairs with their food and drinks, Maura worked up the nerve to ask, "So how long have you lived here? I mean, did you come directly from Ireland or did you live some place else before coming to New York?"

=0=

He looked up from his green tea cooling and realized that even though at times she seemed to find him annoying despite that she was still attracted to him. Her dilated pupils and flushed skin, did not lie. Although mating with her was currently the farthest thing from his mind, giving her a small smile he watched her cheeks grow only pinker.

_Interesting and something I could use to my advantage if needed._

Unable to tell her the truth about the length of time he paused, "I returned a few months ago and no I've traveled a great deal around the world. And you?"

"Just a few weeks but haven't traveled so much yet. I haven't left the country in fact. Just up and down the east coast really for a year with my grandmother till I was about eight."

"Where would you like to go?"

"Australia, Canada, Iceland, Greenland… or any place that is pretty, peaceful and not so populated."

"For someone who seems to not care for crowds, you have selected a rather odd place to live Maura."

"Yeah… I know. Helen, my roommate keeps saying I'll get used to it here. But so far only a few places like this and the park have started to grow on me."

"I do not understand, if you do not like it here why not leave?"

He watched her take off her glasses to dry them with a napkin after finding her blue dress shirt too wet. Struggling to pick out the right words before coming up with, "I can't."

He waited for her to elaborate as she put her glasses back on and went on to mix her soup.

Softly she started as if just thinking aloud, "I dunno why. I really don't like it here at all and yet I still feel like I need to stay and it's important. Really important and the most frustrating thing about it is I can't put my finger on why."

When he tilted his head at her, she shook hers and refused to look at him.

Letting go of the spoon, she warmed her hands, wrapping them around the thick ceramic bowl. "This is going to sound so weird but way before Helen told me about getting her residency here I've wanted to come. I think it all started when I saw a photo of the Brooklyn Bridge for the first time as a kid. The idea just popped into my head. Something about the place just clicked on something inside of me. So what brought you back here?"

Seeing her nervousness at admitting so much, he put aside his growing questions for now to answer hers, "Family. We all moved here quite a while ago."

"Do they live in the city too?"

"Yes but I have not been to visit my twin sister and father in ages and you?"

"My grandmother still lives upstate. She doesn't like the cities either."

"And your other kin?"

She smirked over the term but shook her head again. "It's just really her now. She only had my dad. When he um… died I was about six and my mom just shut down. She lives with her family but we don't speak or see each other so much. Whenever I ask to visit they tell me it would only upset her. What about yours?"

"She was murdered, when I was little more than a child." He offered simply, unable to speak of the details, let alone think about them.

"_And what if it were to befall Nuala the same fate as Mother? Please Father."_

Those words were all he needed to whisper into his father's ear to sway him to accept the Master Blacksmith of the Goblin's offer to build the indestructible Golden Army.

For when they found Queen Danu six years earlier, even their greatest healer, Dian Cecht who had made King Balor's left silver arm with Creidhne, could do nothing to help. It was too late. Nuada tried his hardest to not think of what all the humans had done to her but he could never forget what he saw that day.

The humans had left her upon the border of their territory. His gentle mother, transformed into a macabre naked and kneeling statue. The guards who had found her covered her immediately, brought her body home and begged the King not to look upon her.

Nuala fled the throne room crying the moment she saw the black shroud which covered the form of their mother. Into the arms of Airmed their governess. From the doorway he saw her hug his sister with one arm and extended the other to him imploringly. A part of Nuada wished he had done the same as his twin. But the tremor in his father's right hand upon his shoulder made him want to be there out of love for him.

The guards after obeying the order to remove the shroud could not wait to be granted leave. They fled the throne room, unable to look upon their Queen again or bear witness to their King's grief.

Nuada had never seen his warrior father cry until that day or fall to his knees. He could only stare at how his father crawled to the cold, hard and brittle beaten body. How his right hand touched and tried to sooth away the pain on her frozen nearly unrecognizable battered face.

Nuada said nothing. Only streams of tears trailed silently down his cheeks as his father started to howl and tried to wrap the shroud to just cover her naked body. As if she had just come out of the cold. As if there was something he could do to make it all right for her again. Finally realizing she was indeed gone the King with a trembling hand that could still feel draped the cloth carefully over her as it was before. His father then did not move, only rocked upon his hands and knees before her, moaning in pain.

Seeing what the humans had reduced his parents to, something snapped and with a cry of fury Nuada charged her body. Crashing into and tipping it over. When it hit the ground she started to shatter under the cloth. Weeping and cursing the humans, he hammered his fists into the soft stone she had become. Trying to destroy any trace of the vile things they had done to her. To honor her in the only way his fourteen year old grief ravaged brain could come up with.

Of course his father had not understood. But at least he seemed to have come back to reality. And he did not stop him. He only kept asking, "Why Nuada? Why are you doing this?"

His father never looked at him the same after that but then he also was not the same period. He would sit upon his throne with no smile or strength. His mate dead he had trouble focusing on or even accepting the world now around him.

Nuada's mind also turned inward from almost everyone. It took him over five years before he uttered aloud a single word. Nuala spoke for him instead in that time and their special bond only strengthened much to their father's dread.

The war with the humans continued and Nuada with no hesitation joined the fray just before his twentieth year. Even wounded he did not cry out, sadly miles away Nuala did for him as healers hovered over her. Working their magic to save the both of them.

It was only the offer of the Golden Army and vengeance that stirred his tongue once more.

_"You must. This is our victory insured."_

The carnage that followed did not bring his mother back but it had prevented the loss of more of his people from dying in the war. His father however grew ill with regret over the bloodshed. The smell of iron was thick in the wind from human blood and weapons. But it was the blood of the innocent which sickened everyone, human and fae alike.

Even with the secret burn of embarrassment and shame over what the Golden Army had done to the innocent humans, Nuada still felt his father's decision over what to do next was a mistake. The crown was broken into three pieces. One for the humans, one for Nuala and the last piece the King had kept for himself. All for peace, their kind would have the forests and the humans agreed to stay in their cities. And as time passed and humans continued to cut down forest after forest, Nuada felt he was only proven correct.

Looking up he was surprised when she had said nothing. No automatic polite apology for his loss but more importantly no follow up questions for more details. For that she earned a tiny bit of his respect.

_But then perhaps she is merely in shock and once finding her tongue the questions will start._

She only looked sad but it did not stop him from asking his own.

=0=

"How did your father die?"

Maura twined her fingers around the small beads of amethyst upon the silver chain about her neck in debate for a few moments. Then she squeezed the the larger oval one, which hung from it tightly in her fist. Wondering why she should tell him anything so personal.

With a shrug she started in a matter of fact tone, "Murdered. My grandmother always said it was a drunk driver. But last year I looked into it and discovered that was just a story she made up, to protect me… I guess. And at times I… I can't believe I fell for that story since it happened while he was watching me."

When he gave her a questioning look she found herself continuing, "Well I don't remember much from that day. The last memory of my father was him giving me this necklace and suggesting we play hide and seek. We played that a lot. But that time he told me to be patient and not come out till he found me or gave up and sang for me to come out. I was a pretty good hider back then and I knew I won when he would start singing… We had this rule that if he just called out I still had to stay put and be very quiet."

Eyes burning, Maura stared at her tea and swallowed hard. "Looking back at it now, I think that game was just his way to keep me safe. Like just in case something bad happened. Like he knew. I waited for hours for him to find me. He never came. The report stated that when my mother got home from work she found the body which… I guess explains why she lost it. The police found me when they searched the house."

Taking a deep breath her voice grew softer, "No arrests have been made and no leads. I wasn't much of a witness… didn't even realize what had happened. Whoever the bastard was… he cut my father's head clean off. After that my grandmother and I moved around a lot, up and down the east coast until I started school. Looking back I guess my grandmother was worried… that whoever it was could come after us as well."

She let go of the necklace and busied herself with drinking some more of her tea and did not know why she had told him so much. Perhaps it was because he was a stranger or someone at least who would understand the loss of a parent. Discovering the truth had only reopened the old wound. And the words pouring out of her although painful felt strangely good at the same time. Since finding out she had told no one. Felt she could tell no one, not even Helen. And Maura saw no point confronting or bringing it up with her family when they obviously did not wish to speak of it.

"Please tell me, did the one or ones who hurt your mother pay?" When he nodded tightly she gave a small smile and murmured, "Good and does it help?"

"Not so much, time lends more comfort." After a few tense seconds Nate observed, "You regret learning the truth." The comment did not bother her but his accusatory tone did.

She narrowed her eyes at him but remained calm. "Sometimes, it's always hard to process something about one's past that turns out to be untrue. But am I angry at her for lying to me? No, I was a very young child and knowing such a thing I'm sure would have limited more than enlightened me for the better." Maura repressed a grim smile of satisfaction as he looked contritely down and worked at finishing his soup. "But you always knew… What happened to her, didn't you?"

He only glared at her and set his spoon down with what seemed extra care. As if he had not, he would have thrown it across the room.

Hitting a nerve, she hastily changed the topic. "So what keeps you here? You don't seem the type that likes the city either." She held her breath when he didn't say anything at first. Eased it out when he calmed into deep thought.

=0=

It was not in his nature to lie so he settled with, "A promise to my sister I guess you could say. To pass the time I just like to fix things."

"Um… like what?"

"Old things, cast aside. I put them to working order and sell them to Mr. Guillermo."

Simply but genuinely she grinned and praised, "That's wonderful!"

Her face brightened and Nuada felt a strange flutter in his stomach from it. He found the left corner of his mouth twitching to a grin but gave into only a shrug instead. Dammed if he would take a complement from a human. After taking a few spoonfuls of soup, he mumbled, "It just pays the bills."

"No, doing something like that is important. You restore clocks mostly."

He blinked in surprise. "That is correct how-"

"I thought so! I've never seen Mike have so many of them in his window before. They're all beautifully restored. You repaired all of them in just a few weeks?"

"Even more from weeks before that. They do seem to sell well." He nodded and brought the mug to his lips.

"Have you considered advertising what you do?"

Without taking a drink he put the mug of tea back down puzzled. "Advertising?"

"Yes, to repair things for people."

"Why do that?"

"Well besides as you say to just pay the bills, not everyone throws something away just because it's broken. It's sad how disposable most people are with things now a days but I'd like to think that number is going down and-"

"You would think after over two thousand years humans would have mastered how to clean up after themselves." Nuada nearly growled and felt his irritation rise another notch when she only grinned.

"True... So can I be your first client? I have and old pocket watch that belonged to my grandfather, which my father inherited… and well um… it no longer works now. So would you fix it... please?"

As a peace slipped over him, belatedly he realized in her excitement she had rested her small soft hand over his larger one. The joy was back within her again and she was sharing it with him along with a bit of shy uncertain yearning.

Unable to say no without hurting her feelings and lacking the will to break the contact, he took a sip of tea and gave upon a tired sigh,"Very well, bring it to my place tomorrow at noon."

The surge of relief and appreciation that came from her next had him closing his eyes tight. When she finally let him go to dig into her book bag for a pen and paper to exchange contact information, Nuada bit back a moan. Then worried over how his body was already starting to mourn the loss of her calming touch and infecting emotions.

Never had he encountered such a thing with another being. Instead of just simply knowing what she was feeling, he also actually experienced it. He had no idea how it was possible, what it meant and worse of all, what it could do to him in the long run.


	6. Chapter Five: 12:28 am

Chapter Five: **12:28 am**

_Nine months, three days, twenty-three hours and thirty-eight minutes_

Miles away, Princess Nuala smiled and awoke from a troubled sleep again as an utterly deep and uncommon calm radiated from her twin brother. It was for the third time now in the last several hours. The short flickers of happiness between had her wondering what he was up to and hopefully with whom. Giving up on sleep she sat up in her bed and tried to connect with him to find out what was going on.

When she left him weeks ago after showing him the horrid apartment in Brooklyn it took everything not to laugh at his reaction. It was provided with second hand furniture, cheap cook and dishware, bargain toiletries and the rent was paid up for three months. The rest would be up to him.

"Most humans have aid from their parents when they begin to live on their own, so I thought providing this would only be fair," she explained and smiled sweetly. Unlocking the door, she pushed it open and allowed him to step in first before handing him the key.

"This place is worse than the sewers," Nuada had grumbled shortly after stepping over the threshold.

"Well, at least here there will be a good deal more of sunlight." Opening or at least trying to, Nuala pulled upon the strings and jumped when the old dusty plastic horizontal blinds crashed down before her feet.

"Splendid sister, now I shall have even more when the sun rises." His tone had been in good humor but he critically assessed the three small rooms. Only two of which had windows leading out to a fire escape. The bathroom only had a vent and standing space.

Her sunset orange colored eyes watched carefully as he stepped into it, his broad shoulders filling the small doorway. He then dropped his head to stare at the tiny sink before him, then to his right at the toilet and to the left a shower.

Backing out of it into his kitchen/living room he complained. "I would scarcely call that a room. It is positively claustrophobic. I may have found refuge in wet and dirty tunnels before but at least it is far bigger than this place. Was this really the best you could find?"

"Property below a street is not in great demand with humans, brother but a suitable one is, especially in this city. I found you this one for a reasonable price."

"Reasonable? Hardly, a bargain I'm sure. Do you have so little faith in my ability to live as one of them?"

"No, I thought it wise to present you with a place that would inspire you to improve your surroundings. You are more than welcome to move to another location, if you can raise enough money to do so. But first guess how much this place costs each month."

He paused in answering her. She guessed he never gave money much thought. Human economics especially but had a rough idea of the value of some things, like a loaf of bread in this day and age. After some math he ventured, "Four hundred?"

"Try three times that," she murmured and laughed softly when his eyes widened in alarm. "You have three months of rent paid, some food but there will be bills for water, electricity and transportation. I advise you find a job very soon. Mr. Wink told me he's provided you with identification so acquiring a position should prove easy. And I've put five hundred into a checking account for other bills." She gave a pointed look at the coffee table where a debit card and checkbook rested.

Even with his expression a mask of indifference and his bearing confident as he paced the room, she could feel his apprehension in this challenge.

"You always worry far too much, dearest brother."

Drawing close before him she stroked his cheek tenderly with the back of her fingers. Immediately he relaxed under her touch with a shuddering breath, closed his eyes and pulled her into a tight embrace. For the moment she felt him calm as his love flooded into every cell of her body and she without hesitation returned it to his. As he rested his forehead upon hers their very souls intertwined to lend each other strength.

For a brother and sister to be so affectionate with one another may seem odd or even taboo to most humans but for their kind it was perfectly natural. Touch that may appear sensual and intimate did not always mean it was sexual. For elves, touch means another form of communication, to heal and give comfort to whom they loved. Honest and honorable beings, for the most part it was seen as unnatural and even painful to hold back in expressing feelings. It horrified them to find in most humans societies they still thought so narrowly and shunned most touching unless it led to mating or for tending to offspring.

Pulling away she kissed his cheeks then cupped them. Since going into exile in their twenty-second year, so rare and so long it had been over the years when she had the chance to see him. Even rarer to be so close and find him in the moment happy and at peace. She could not help but to take a second to simply look upon him before asking seriously, "Are you sure you wish to walk this path for a year?"

"Your request is strange but I will honor it if it means to earn your trust and your piece of the crown."

Nuala nodded and hoped that she was not making a huge mistake. But her dear friends Étan and Ochtriullach daughters of the missing royal healer Dian Cecht assured her this would be the only thing to help heal her brother's heart.

Taking a deep breath, Nuala pulled a folded simple white handkerchief from one of her black slacks pockets then un-wrapped it to reveal the charm Ochtriullach had crafted. Without needing to be asked, Nuada dipped his head and she slipped the leather thong over his head. Holding the clear crystal which hung from it, she began to recite the enchantment Étan composed for the wager. After each line she paused, without hesitation Nuada repeated it and with each word she watched his appearance transform slowly to that of a human.

Even if she had not spoken the spell, Nuala was sure she would have still ended up appearing to be a human as well, also suffer equally under some of the limitations the sisters had managed to work into being one until it was lifted or broken. Letting him go she gave him a pained look. But he only smiled, cupped her cheek stared at her and even laughed.

"Still beautiful my sister."

Returning to the small bathroom, he looked into the mirror to assess the physical changes then called out, "You look worried, afraid I will succeed?"

"No, in fact I hope you do well. Just please be careful. As you can see, the spell has not severed our connection. You must wear the pendent always. Keep the crystal close to your skin else your true form will start to surface. If you remove it entirely it will turn black, you lose our wager and I will keep my piece of the crown till I see fit to give it to whoever I choose. If you wish to withdraw before the year is up, simply smash the crystal and we will be restored fully to who we truly are once again."

"Wait… Restored?" His voice held a hint of alarm as he charged out of the tiny room.

But it was too late. Quietly, she had let herself out and was racing down the stairs. When he opened the door and called out, "Nuala!" she ignored him. Thankfully, he let her go.

At the East side rail yards Étan and Ochtriullach awaited her outside with smiles and hugs. Because of her now human appearance they helped her slip past the guards and gain and audience with King Balor. Needless to say he was not pleased. But with the Dian Cecht's daughters reassurances along with Nuala's reluctantly he relented.

Letting her thoughts of what happened weeks ago fade away, Nuala focused more upon the present and her brother now. Slowly the image of a woman with black hair, dark brown eyes and fair skin formed slowly in Nuala's mind. Something about her seemed familiar yet the Princess did not believe she had ever met her before.

She remembered seeing only parts of the woman. Her beaming smile, eyes brightening, the smell of tart apples and a touching hand in flashes when the first surge of peace washed over her brother followed quickly by his enragement and confusion. His mix of emotions that followed concerned Nuala to the point she tossed and turned but out of respect she had left him alone when he requested it, until now.

Through his eyes she could see the woman entering an apartment, turning on a light and leaving the door open. Nuala gave a small grin noticing how her brother's gaze never wavered from the woman to his surroundings. Instead he watched her take off his coat and put down her bag. As she left the room and he was studying her bottom, Nuala with a soft laugh pounced.

"_Who is this brother?"_

Caught, she sensed his flood of embarrassment as he stared at his muddy boots and mentally muttered back, _"Nobody of importance, just a client. She is fetching something for me to fix. Now go."_

He tried to sever the connection but Nuala's will and ability was always stronger. Choosing her words carefully she asked, _"In the middle of the night? What an odd hour to hold business."_

"_I suggested she hand the pocket watch over tomorrow at noon but since I walked her home, she felt it wise to just give it to me now."_

Nuala paused a little speechless. For Nuada had offered his protection to escort a human home, a female one yes, but a human all the same. Recovering she offered, _"How kind of you."_

"_Kindness? Hardly, she cannot very well pay me when I'm finished with repairing the time piece if she has been robbed or worse."_

"_Ah yes a valid point. So what is her name?"_

"_What does it matter to you?"_

"_And you? What is the harm in letting me know?"_

She heard him give an exasperated sigh before answering, _"Very well it's Maura Healy. Now will you leave me in peace?"_Grinning from ear to ear she agreed but before she did he added, _"She is only a distraction so put such silly thoughts of more aside, my sister."_

Refusing to acknowledge what she knew was denial from him, Nuala laid back upon her pillow. The truth was obvious but he was not ready to accept it just yet.

"Maura Healy… Oh I cannot wait to tell Étan and Ochtriullach the good news!" Nuala whispered, snuggled deeper into her covers and fell asleep with a peace she had not known in many centuries.

=0=

Waiting for Maura to return and free from Nuala's scrutiny, Nuada took a moment to finally study the space around him. Unlike his apartment hers seemed slightly bigger, cleaner and furnished with care.

Copper pots and drying herbs hung from a rack over a butcher block style breakfast bar which along with two bar stools separated the kitchen from the living room. That side of the room held a welcoming soft sofa and matching green chair. A mission style coffee table and a modest sized flat-screen television hung from the wall.

On each window sill were an array of various fragrant growing plants mostly wheat and lemon grass but there was also rosemary, peppermint, chamomile, lavender, angelica and anise.

Hearing her come back he asked, "You grow your own tea?"

"Yes, my grandmother taught me how-oh that reminds me!" She bent down to her book bag, opened it and pulled out the paper one containing the purple loosestrife from the park. "Please, make yourself comfortable while I prepare this for drying." He sat upon one of the stools as she put the box she carried from her bedroom down on the bar and turned away to rinse the remaining dirt off of the roots.

A dull large and long looking dark greenish blue bug fluttered down from the herbs and landed upon her shoulder as she washed. Nuada concentrated upon it. Knowing what it was before seeing through it's glamour.

The male fairy chattered something into her ear. Then turned to regard him warily before squeaking and tugging at her hair, trying to get her attention. He knew what Nuada was as well and becoming rather excited about it, seemed to be attempting to tell her. Maura only ignored him and started to hum softly instead.

"Are you aware of what is in your hair?"

"Hum? Oh don't mind Ike, he's just ah… a harmless bug."

"Just a bug that you named Ike, I see."

She stopped washing and while drying her hands glared at him. "Yes… _just_a bug and no I don't think you really _see_ anything." Carefully she picked the fairy off of her shoulder and set him down in the lavender then opened the window. Storming back to Nuada, she plucked the small box off the table, pushed it into his chest.

"Here's the pocket watch. How long will it take and how much?"

He had hit a nerve again but at least there were not any muddy puddles for her to stomp and spray him with. Ike laughed from the window sill.

"I'm sorry if my statement about your pet seems to have-"

"He's not a pet, he's free to come and go as he pleases!" Turning pink from her outburst, she cleared her throat and stammered, "Ah-after all he's just a bug, right? Now the watch?"

"Yes," Nuada answered, wisely let the matter about the fairy drop and opened the box. "Oh my," he realized the full extent of the damage. Absently he wondered if her father had been wearing it when he was murdered. The watch's casing along with the glass was broken and most of the wheels, springs and pinions shifted loose and free inside of the box.

"Can you fix it? I mean, still try to use all or most of the original parts in there?"

"Yes but to do that will take me awhile, a few weeks at least and I will do so for no less than three hundred. I might need another hundred for extra parts."

"Fair enough," she agreed and extended her hand. When he took it he felt her jumble of emotions of embarrassment, he guessed over the fairy and apprehension over entrusting him with her father's pocket watch. "Would you care for some more tea, something to warm you up before heading out?"

He appreciated her attempt to smooth things over between them before his departure but politely declined. "Thank you but the hour grows very late and I would not wish to trouble you." Still she looked crestfallen as she escorted him to the door and opened it. In the hopes of cheering her up he offered, "You're welcome to come to my apartment in a few days to check on my progress with it."

=0=

Maura brightened to Nate's invitation and felt a little less weird. Still as she closed the door behind him after they said their goodbyes, which included him genially saying good night to Ike, she leaned back on it, covered her face and slid to the floor with a groan.

Ike whizzed from the flowers he loved so much and snuggle against her ear to squeak a very elaborate apology.

To her at least, he was not a bug at all but looked to be a fairy. But not the kind one thinks of while watching one version or another of Peter Pan and his sidekick Tinkerbell. No, Ike and the others, which came for visits to see him through the years, were not very pretty-at least not in the conventional sense nor could they help her fly. When he did not take the form of a bug, he was a very thin looking humanoid, no taller than a bottle of soda, completely hairless with pointed ears and tattered wings.

Still he had become a dear friend since finding him injured and nursing him back to health when she was only eight years old. Whenever she was alone he was usually at her side.

_But how can I even begin to explain Ike to Nate? He would only think I'm crazy... if he doesn't already._

Even Helen thought Ike was nothing more than a very big and old insect that she promised not to kill, so long as he kept out of her room. Thankfully Ike behaved, most of the time and stayed out of sight.

"Yes… you should have stayed hidden," she grumbled when he stopped to take a breath.

"Sore-ree," Ike managed to work out that one word. In fact it was the first word he ever learned to say since it took him awhile to figure out what to touch and what to leave alone. To this day he still struggled with shredding things, paper especially for bedding.

She was pretty sure he understood her and by growing up with him she knew a good amount of what he said meant as well. But they both struggled to form the words of each other's language, let alone create entire sentences. And still upon occasion they would say a word that was new to the other which led to some confusion.

Like now, he chanted an unfamiliar one over and over again in regards to Nate. But not in the mood for a game of charades Maura hushed him with a question.

"What if he swatted you?" When Ike started up again Maura shook her head, "No we can't trust him. I don't care if you think he sees you for who you really are. He still called you a bug."

Ike continued, not letting the argument go and demanding a chance to prove it. The new word coming up a few times more.

"Okay how about you can come with me to see him _if_you promise to stay out of sight… Well think of it as a way to observe him and be sure… yes I like him… I'm happy you like him too so far. I dunno if he likes you… Yes, it was nice of him to tell you good night but I think he only did that to tease me." Getting up carefully with him on her shoulder still she walked back to the sink and hung up the now limp plant in there to dry with the others.

Next opening the cupboard she took out a jar of lavender honey and smiled as Ike eagerly hopped off her shoulder to the counter to dance happily. "You want some bread with it?"

"No… milk!" He demanded as his wings quivered in anticipation.

Maura grinned, pulled out a small dish grabbed some fresh milk from the fridge and gave I shake before pouring it and the honey for Ike. The little fairy let out a whoop of gratitude, squatted down before his meal and promptly planted his face into it.

"Hey I'm home," Helen yawned, put down her bags, ruffled her brown short hair and then made a face. "Ew… So that is what you have been feeding it all of these years?"

Ike immediately stopped drinking and gave her an indignant look.

"Helen, you and Ike have known each other for how long? When are you going to stop referring to him as an it?"

"Okay Maura," she gave a big exasperated sigh. And because she loved her friend quirks and all, she apologized somewhat sarcastically to what she normally referred to as just, the bug. "Dearest Ike… I'm sorry to have disturbed your meal, please don't let my poor mood ruin your appetite."

Giving a snort Ike went back to eating. But to Maura's secret amusement he did so with a little more restraint and dignity by scooping tiny handfuls after tiny handfuls of milk and honey into his mouth. Forcing a grin and trying to keep the peace between her two best friends Maura added, "Okay I think the two of you have worked things out, right?" She looked between the both of them. Ike was still feeding and Helen was too busy pulling off her sneakers.

Plopping down on the sofa and flipping on the TV Helen muttered, "Just stay out of my room Ike and I won't squish you, capisce?"

Finished with his meal, Ike gave an equally menacing threat and shook his tiny fist at her. But he then gave a contrite look under Maura's warning glare before pouting and zipping out the window.

"What kind of bug is that anyways?" Helen asked while trying to decide what recording to watch first as Maura rinsed and put the saucer in the dishwasher.

Sitting down next to her, Maura shrugged and gave the usual white lie. "Ah I dunno for sure… he looks like a praying mantis to me... sometimes. That and he keeps on top of the spiders and roaches." Although Maura fed him at least once a day, she had spotted Ike more times than she could count pouncing and gobbling down any pest bug. In fact he preferred aphids or at least whatever tried to nibble at the lavender.

Helen shuddered at the thought and mumbled, "Well I guess he's good for something then."

Maura relaxed and was grateful her friend never seemed to give Ike much thought. Seeing so much of him but only as a bug growing up, he had somehow become mundane to Helen. And whenever she would start questioning what Ike exactly was, Maura's vague answers always were enough to reassure her that there was nothing so unusual about him at all. That or Helen was just convinced Maura through the years had gone through a number of pet bugs and always named them Ike.

They sat together watching the show. But during a commercial, unable to hold it in anymore Maura blurted out, "I met someone… after work in the park."

=0=

Always up for gossip and having a rough idea that this someone Maura would be talking about was a guy, Helen grinned. Muting the TV she demanded, "Okay spill."

"He's gorgeous. I mean at least to me… drop dead and his voice! Oh Helen I could listen to him read the ingredients off of ah… a shampoo bottle and well..."

"I hear a but coming," Helen mumbled and unmuted the TV when Maura did not answer.

She pretended to watch while Maura gnawed at her lower lip then after a while declared, "Okay… Pause it."

As she did, Helen patiently listened to everything until she realized, "Wait! You quit your job? Maura!"

"Oh dear!" Her friend gasped and slapped a hand over her mouth guiltily. At least there was one thing Helen could count on when it came to Maura. She was honest to a fault and a horrible liar.

Helen waved off the frustration and sighed, "Maybe I can pull that string and get you an interview but till then… How do you think you're going to pay him for fixing the watch?"

"I still have plenty in savings."

"And what about the rent and your share of the other bills?"

"That will come first I promise. Plus I still have at least three or so weeks to come up with the money."

"Geeze he must be really cute and charming for you to trust him with your dad's pocket watch. So when do I get to meet him?"

Playing with one of the throw pillows Maura sulkily replied, "I'm working on it. But honestly he seems way out of my league, a bit of a jerk and-"

"Oh stop it, you barely know him and already you're starting to pick him apart and imagining how he's going to break your heart, am I right?"

"Yeah… What should I do? Did I mention he's already seen Ike?"

"And his reaction?"

"Well ah… he called him my pet and even said goodbye to him before he left."

"That horrible bastard..." Helen mocked and laughed when Maura threw the pillow at her head.

Sighing Maura admitted, "I ah sort of flipped out when he called Ike my pet."

"Oh no, please tell me you didn't insist that bug was also your friend too. You didn't, did you?"

"No! It was just a tiny freak out, really. I caught myself this time and then brought up the watch."

"Good, honestly I will never understand your obsession with that bug. Granted he seems like a very smart one but seriously Maura try not to bring Ike up again till at least you get laid." Helen shook her head then reminded, "Look at the bright side. After all that, he still invited you to come over to his place in a few days."

Maura chewed her lip but again then grinned shyly. "Yeah, I was thinking of waiting at least three days before calling him about when it would be a good time to come over."

"Good idea, what else?"

"Um… I was also thinking when I do go over there I could bring some lunch and suggest a picnic-"

"Slow down. No, too soon for that bring over just a dessert like a plate of cupcakes or some cookies. Get in and get out and play it cool. Then in a few days see if he shows up to return the plate. Be sure you lend him one of your fancy ones. That's the important part because if he doesn't return it, you'll have a perfectly good excuse to bother him again."

Maura had nodded, absorbing everything but then asked, "But I don't get it… why is the plate such a big deal? He said I could check on his progress anytime and I can just-"

"That's business related. Look, the plate is a test. If he brings it back that's a good thing. If he doesn't not all hope is lost but you'll have to up your game."

"Up my game," Maura parroted, got up and shuffled to the bedroom in deep thought. Before she left the room she turned to Helen. "How do I do that?"

"Relax, we'll cross that bridge if and when we come to it. The most important thing is to be yourself and if he doesn't like or accept you for who you are then you're only wasting your time with him, right?"

Maura nodded and continued on her way to bed. Gone, Helen gave another sigh and tried not to worry about her friend.

True Maura had a few boyfriends in the past but it had been over three years since her last one. Which ended in disaster when he had tried to squish Ike with a rolled up magazine. Helen had never seen her friend so livid.

Poor patient Taylor had tried everything for weeks to smooth things over: red roses, diamond earrings, chocolates and even bad hand written poetry. Maura only calmly ripped apart the flowers and poems, threw it all into her worm bucket, returned the jewelry and gave her the chocolates.

Helen just did not understand Maura's emotional distance with the opposite sex. To put it simply Maura had never been the one to pursue any of them. Instead when they expressed interest, she tolerated them so long as they were not too demanding. But when things would begin to get serious, for some reason she would just shut down and they would drift away. The exception was Taylor which she literally shoved out of their apartment after the infamously dubbed "Ike Incident."

_It's not that she lacks the confidence only ambition and focus. Except with this guy, I've never seen her so excited like this before._

She thought while fast forwarding through the next set of commercials.

Despite being happy for her, Helen winced while remembering what Maura casually mentioned. How he had grabbed her in the park. Even though Maura had reassured that he did not hurt her, there were no marks and he had apologized, Helen still had some concerns. Concerns that would not ease, at least she would until she could meet the guy and size him up. Till then all she could hope that he was not really a jerk or worse.


	7. Chapter Six: 2:12 am

Chapter Six: 2:12 am

_Nine months, three days, twenty-one hours and fourty-eight minutes_

A glance at the mantle clock atop the refrigerator showed it was almost a quarter after two in the morning. He did not bother turning on a light, it would only be one more expense to worry about. Instead he carefully sat the small box down upon the formica wood pattern kitchen table, gripped the beat-up rubbery edges of it and just glared at nothing in deep thought.

_Why am I doing this?_

True he could say it was just for the money but that would be a lie. Her reaction to his intentional use of the word of pet in regards to Ike was quite revealing.

_She seemed highly protective of him yet does not consider him her property... Interesting..._

Refusing to think more upon the matter for now, he opened the box and spilled the guts and shell of the pocket watch across the surface. Then carefully inspected and sorted the innards into piles. Ones that only needed to be put in their proper place again, others that needed repair and the few that remained which he would have to replace entirely.

In the dim light an engraving on the inside of the broken off lid caught his eye. Picking it up and walking to the window for a better look, he squinted at the words.

_A & L_

_Make bright our days_

_and_

_light our dreams_

_1919_

He gave the words little thought and focused upon the year, frowning in confusion. It was yet one more thing involving Maura Healy that did not add up literally. On their way to Maura's apartment, she had said the watch was a gift her grandmother had given to her grandfather after their first year of marriage.

_A date to mark such occasion would make her grandmother around a century old. Humans did marry young in those days. But perhaps the date could also be for the year it was made._

Nuada tried to reason and shook his head along with the concern off. Making a mental note to ask Maura the age of her grandmother, he returned the watch's lid to the box and prepared for bed.

Minutes later in a fitful sleep from the odd human woman, who could be something else entirely, Nuada did not resist the attentions of his nightly lover but finally gave into them. He moaned as she rolled with him. Clinging to him, she laughed sweetly and rejoiced at his uncommon enthusiasm. In the darkness all that matter was the feel and taste of her.

Over and pinning her down to the bed he entered her hard and fast with a groan. Her hungry cry stilling him only for seconds as he savored how her opening spasmed at being stretched so suddenly around his hardened flesh. With her head thrown back, his mouth attacked her exposed neck. Sucking and nipping as he ground his pelvis against hers to penetrate deeper.

She tried to struggle under him but it was in a teasing way. When he started to slowly move, he tried to nuzzle his cheek against hers. But she turned her head, demanding his lips only to push past them with flick after lick of her tongue. Leaving Nuada only able to moan as his met with hers challenge, pushing back against it as he quickened his pace.

So caught up in the sensations of kissing and being inside of her, he did not even register the peace invading. At least not until his near frenzied thrusts steadily slowed down but became more intense and full in length. About to lose control, he released her wrists and groaned into her neck helplessly.

As her arms and legs wrapped around him protectively yet possessively a feeling of safety and utter trust mixed with his growing desire. Because of this Nuada did not want this feeling and moment to end. It was as if he was home again and all was right with the world. He struggled with each thrust to extend it, till her cries grew louder and joined his. Feeling her release flutter around him, set off his own, pouring into her it took a moment to realize she was breathily speaking to him.

"_Stay with me please… Don't go… Oh won't you ever show me your face?"_

In the past she had laughed yes, bombarded him with unclear fast whispers, moaned, sighed, whimpered, screamed, howled and pleaded. But never had she said anything so clearly to him before. A chill ran through him as the last wave of pleasure faded. His breath caught, recognizing her voice. He did not want to look but still he did.

"_Oh... It's you,"_ she looked up at him equally surprised as he felt. Her cheeks flushed just as they did in that moment when she said those words only hours before in the park flittered through his mind. Breathless in panic, he felt frozen as her gaze softened as she moaned simply, _"Mmmm… ready again? So soon?"_

He jerked awake, still aroused, covered in sweat and gave a rather undignified short cry of alarm.

"No!"

Pressing a hand to his racing heart, he struggled to catch his breath. Squeezing his eyes tightly shut offered no relief only seeing hers, wide in brief alarm. Before her swollen lips parted in a gasp then melt into a slow sensual grin.

It had been Maura Healy! Yet her skin seemed to glow her eyes completely dilated in the intimate darkness they shared. Gritting his teeth he rose naked from his bed, spent yet still painfully hard.

A glance at the clock before heading to the shower told he had only gotten three hours of sleep. Washing quickly he debated whether or not to make another attempt at more rest. But feeling himself rise again to the idea of finding himself between her legs once more he opted to go train.

"Traitor," he growled at his offending appendage as he dried off. After throwing on some dark sweats, he charged down the six flights of stairs and ran hard all the way to the nearest subway station. He needed to get out of Brooklyn and more importantly away from her.

He was headed to Downtown Manhattan, his old place under a street near Blackwood's Auction House. There he would practice hard and strive to push his first business client away from thought.

=0=

The dawn sun lit up her room. It was so bright even with closed eyes. Giving a slow smile, a stretch and a happy sigh, Maura opened them. For a change her nightly visitor had not been frustrating but in fact quite satisfying.

Usually he would indulge in just holding and kissing her before pulling away, distracted and worried. Dread would fill her at the loss of his touch and she soon found herself howling in distress. Not for being deprived but in honest fear for his life. She could never remember much only watching him walk away from her, turn to stone and crumble to the ground.

The most surprising thing of all was he did not die this time. Instead he revealed his face and it had been the grumpy Nate Lance. Sitting up, rubbing her eyes then putting on her glasses, Maura tried to chuck it up to simple attraction. It was perfectly normal to put a familiar face upon a subconscious manifestation of her desires. At least that was what her dream books stated. The only thing she puzzled over was why the recurring dream started the moment she set foot in New York.

Buzzing with energy, Maura put the minor worry aside, hopped out of bed, put on some workout clothes, contacts and practically skipped to the kitchen. Helen already there, shuffled about struggling to make coffee. Her shift didn't start for another four hours but after she caffeinated, worked out and showered she would only have an hour to get to the hospital. As Maura hummed happily, she grumbled, "If I didn't know better, I would say you got laid last night."

Making oatmeal Maura declared proudly, "Almost. Want some?"

"Details? No. Oatmeal? Sure."

Helen gazed longingly upon the coffee pot, waiting for it to start up.

Making a second serving, Maura started humming again. But as the bowls nuked in the microwave, she admitted, "You know that recurring dream I've been having right? I finally saw his face. Guess who." When Helen only yawned, Maura gave up. "It was Nate, that guy I told you about last night."

"Oh goodie for you," Helen replied flatly and rummaged the cupboards for her favorite mug.

"Want to work out after breakfast?"

Helen did not answer instead gave a grunt, yanked the pot away from the warming plate to put her triple sized mug under the spout. When it started to fill her cup she drew closer and sucked in the rich coffee scent through her nose. Perking up from it she rather deftly preformed a transplant, snatching up her cup, replacing the pot. Not letting one precious drop go to waste. Pausing before taking a drink, Helen finally answered, "Ask me again once I get my fix, k?"

=0=

The simple wooden staff in his hands felt a poor replacement to his favorite weapon. Still it was good to be back in his old haven, at least for the moment. He had only risked visiting it twice a month to see Wink. Doubting he could visit more often or stay long, certainly not for an entire day and night without jeopardizing the wager with Nuala. So far she had yet to say anything or notice these meetings but he was not about to push his luck.

As Wink watched on, Nuada spun, twisted and struggled with an advanced set of combat moves he could do before the wager with hardly a thought or loss of breath. He shuddered at the thought of going soft under this spell. Even though he loathed at the idea of finding a place to train among the humans he could put it off no longer. He would not allow himself to grow any weaker.

As year after year seemed to fly by usually he would train up to eight hours a day, in roughly four, two hours sets. He loved to move when he was not tinkering or sleeping.

Always upon the fringes of the human world, to him the more things changed the more things also stayed the same. Conservation and reusing of resources was nothing new. Only the view upon it was different. To him, it was now just something prideful most humans did now. It was one more thing for them to feel better about themselves as they kept hungrily consuming and giving little back. While companies did it to save coin and bragging about what they did to only earn even more.

_They are for the most part still messy and greedy creatures._

He scowled remembering how Maura had picked up garbage in the park only to recycle some of it while throwing the rest away into a trash bin. Pushing thoughts of her aside yet again, he kept moving. But already his muscles were screaming earlier than they had in centuries. Only half way through his second set he stubbornly pushed himself harder hoping it would keep her out of his mind for a little longer.

Landing from a complex jump he had done at least a million times before but the first time since his transformation, something went wrong. Right ankle twisting, Nuada yelped in pain and found himself gracelessly on his backside. Pride hurting far more as Wink was at his side in the next instant and wordlessly helped him to the modest cot in the corner. He was thankful that Wink spared him a lecture to take it easy. But he did not miss the look of reproof in his old friend's remaining double pupil eye.

"Do not worry. Soon it will be only another nine months before my abilities will be fully restored to what they were." When Wink snorted in response, Nuada realized he said it for his own reassurance as much as for his friend.

"Can I see it?

Knowing what his prince meant, Wink nodded, pulled from his left boot the silver lance and carefully set it down upon the blanket next to him. Shifting on the simple bed, mindful of his now swelling right ankle, Nuada sighed. Staring longingly at the now shortened staff, the etched symbols upon the razor sharp blade. All crafted by his own hands over a millennium ago. When he reached out his left hand to it, Wink gave a soft blowing gurgling huff of warning.

"I know…" Nuada frowned in more than just emotional pain at his hand hovering so close to it yet unable to touch it. Even just inches away it felt as if he was about to pick up something red hot along with small shooting pains up his arm. In his true form, extreme temperatures he could tolerate far more than a human. But thanks to the spell he was now as weak as one.

Dropping his arm to rest upon his thigh, he turned away from his lance to Wink. "And how have you been fairing these months? What news? Are our contacts any closer to finding the crown piece the humans hold?"

In the rough sounding troll tongue, which Nuada knew as well as his own, Wink reported. "No news I'm afraid. Many of them still believe the third piece is not hidden but lost. They will keep looking as ordered with utmost discretion as before but..." He paused in debate, the fingers of his right mechanical hand twitched open nervously. "With all due respect Prince Nuada, I still think this endeavor of yours is a poor idea. As for this wager, maybe this year among the humans it would be best to learn more about their strategies and focus less upon just one."

Nuada gave a chuckle and doubted he was talking about Mr. Guillermo. Apparently Wink had many small and hidden eyes upon him. Which Nuada could not begrudge for it was comforting to know that if he ever truly needed help, Wink would as always have his back. With the left corner of his mouth rising into a playful half smile he asked, "Are you referring to Ms. Healy?"

Wink said nothing only narrowed his eyes and gave a tight nod.

Smoothly Nuada reassured, "A bit of necessary business and she may be of some further use. And if your spies are as thorough as you say, it would be best for them to leave her alone and avoid her small friend as well. A wood fairy she calls Ike which seems, for some reason very loyal to her, we cannot risk him telling her of who I am or discovering our plans."

"Then why not kill him?"

"No need. So far he has done no wrong. He only knows I can see him for what he truly is. And I am unsure how much she understands of his language or if even if she knows he is not a bug. If he figures out whom I am an order is all that will be needed for him to obey. There is little risk of him discovering what I am doing here."

"Does Princess Nuala know of your intentions with the Golden Army?"

"I have taken great pains to hold back less than desirable details from her but she has always known of my wish to raise it again to protect our people. And now more than ever I feel we need protection the most."

He nodded to his lance while frowning.

=0=

Picking it up, Wink hid it once again away, in the safety of his boot while asking, "This trial she puts you through is perhaps a good thing then?"

"Yes," Nuada confirmed eyeing his injured ankle. Deciding it was best to keep his calf high boots on for now he tightened the laces and continued. "I think she is on the verge of agreeing and falling away from our father's stubborn ways."

Wink despite his dangerous appearance never cared for violence or bloodshed. And thankfully with just a look or roar was all that was needed to send anyone running. But out of love for his prince, which he looked upon as he would a favored nephew, he could not help but to follow, if he could not convince him to take another path. Still risking his sovereign's temper and harsh words Wink pressed on with, "Have they not suffered enough for the forests they have fallen?"

"No, the consequence the humans face in invading what is ours is not. I wonder if some of them have started to catch on to the fact that there is always a balance. That there is a reason why powerful healing plants are always found in the depths of forests, Mr. Wink. True, already a number of diseases upon them have been unleashed and many of which they still have no cure for and are quite deadly. Yet in response they only see fit to bear even more hungry young. If they ever put aside their greed to not only find cures but distribute them, all without thought for coin it would only hasten our end."

Wink thought of his few great grandchildren a far smaller amount to the number of children he sired. How they all needed to be so careful when traveling from one fae settlement to another. Long gone were the carefree days. For the last hundred years much of everyone's thoughts were filled with the fear of discovery and capture. There was little land left upon the Earth untouched by humans, most of it inhospitable. And the unblinking eyes of human satellites made it so that only fae who could use glamour or shape shift into something seemingly mundane were truly free. But even they needed to be careful. With a great sigh Wink silently, although still reluctantly, agreed. For now the Golden Army and the ensuing holocaust of one race seemed to be their only hope in saving far more.

=0=

With his tiny heart hammering in his chest, Ike struggled to keep listening over it. He also tried to not get caught up in mentally berating himself for being so very curious . If he had only stayed home after supper and not left to follow, what he thought at first was just a disguised elf, he would not be in this situation.

Now hidden under the cot and hearing Nuada Silverlance, the Crowned Prince of the Clan Bethmoora elves settle upon it, he dared not move, not even a wing for fear of discovery. But when the infamous Mr. Wink had suggested his death, Ike nearly squealed out in alarm. A part of him in that moment wanted to run out from his hiding place, throw himself upon his Prince's boots and plead for mercy. But instead he slapped his tiny hands over his mouth, trembled and awaited his fate.

"No need. So far he has done no wrong…"

Ike melted to the ground in relief and gratitude of Nuada's words but tensed again when the troll mentioned the Golden Army and Princess Nuala. Sensing the importance of their conversation, his fears vanished as he scrambled to peek out from the shadows. As he watched them, he concentrated on retaining their every word to think upon later. Or more importantly repeat the news to another, perhaps Maura or Princess Nuala or King Balor himself.

When their voices faded, Ike had no more heart to follow and learn more. Instead it felt pulled in all directions now. Each possibility and consequence started to fill his mind and he swallowed hard over what to do.

Even though he loved his people, his life was not his to give to them anymore. Maura had saved it two decades ago. On top of that she welcomed him into her home and fed him for years. But it was more than a debt of honor and kindness he owed her which kept him silent and still in uncertainty. He loved and called her friend. He even liked Helen despite all of her empty playful threats and thinking him as only just a bug. When Maura was not looking or around she would talk to him, they would watch movies and she even offered him popcorn.

_Kettle made with no salt just delicious, buttery, wonderful popcorn._

Ike's stomach grumbled at the thought but he ignored it to think harder upon what was really important. Wondering if telling Maura all of what he learned would even help to change things or only put her in more danger. Or what would happen if he were to confide in Princess Nuala or King Balor?

"Yes, this will require much thought. Time I have... I hope," he peeped sadly to himself and carefully stuck his head out from underneath the cot. Not spotting any of his fellow fairies, brownies or boggarts, Ike carefully made his way out of the sewers. Pausing only now and then to double check that he was not being followed home.


	8. Chapter Seven: 10:41am

Chapter Seven: 10:41am

_Nine months, three days, thirteen hours and nineteen minutes_

Eyes closed Maura concentrated on her slow and careful movements as well as her breathing. Instead of working out with her at the nearby gym, Helen had opted to stay home, rest and have more coffee. So after a quick stretch and jog to the nearest subway station, Maura had decided to do some Tai-Chi in the park instead. The spring day was bright and warm with a soft hugging breeze. The last thing she wanted was to waste it on being cooped up inside.

She went to where others usually practiced but finding nobody around at the moment Maura did not mind going solo. Others were welcome to join in and with ten years of practice under her belt she was not a half bad guide. Hearing the soft foot falls in the grass she opened her eyes and welcomed the first two people who approached with a simple smile but did not yet break from the twenty-four form. They were a young couple and only after they offer the polite universal greeting to join did Maura stop to return it.

As they walked about each other for the first warm up exercise they made introductions. When they finished the others, Maura began to lead them in the popular form she was doing before they joined in. Only when they started to follow along did she closed her eyes once more, give a contented sigh and suck in a deep breath.

_You can almost not smell the smog here._

She thought sadly but pushed it aside to happier thoughts. Helen knew the truth about her lack of a job. And she had not been upset about it as Maura thought she would be. It was a lovely day. The dream from last night had been enjoyable. And Nate had agreed to fix her father's pocket watch. True it would not be cheap and it would take time but it would give her a reason to stay in touch with him.

_Maybe when he gives it back, I can call him friend._

Despite the dream, she dared not hope for more. Opening her eyes she jumped, spotting him tilt his head slightly at them in curiosity.

_Speak of the devil. How long has he been standing there?_

Faltering briefly, she concentrated on ignoring him and completing the form. Once finished and finding he had not moved and was still watching. Maura turned around to find three more had casually joined in when she had not been looking. All of them also stopped when she did. One groaned in protest.

"Sorry," she gave quickly and checked the time on her phone. Realizing she had been at it for a total of two hours, she stretched her arms and walked away from the group. As one of them stepped up to take her place in leading the others, she watched Nate slowly approach. But something about his normally graceful gate was off. Wiping the sweat from her brow she offered, "Hey Nate."

"A shame you stopped. I was about to make an attempt. What is it called?"

"You've never heard of Tai-Chi?"

"Some of the moves seem familiar to what I do. How long has it been around?"

She was surprised he did not mention what martial arts style he practiced or brag about a brown or black belt. Instead he just waited. "It's been around for about five hundred years. You really need to get out more," she teased and started for the nearest park bench. He grinned, followed and realizing he was indeed limping she demanded, "What happened to you."

"Nothing of great concern."

"Nothing? Yeah right." With her training kicking in she ordered, "Sit down so I can check it over."

"I will be fine, I assure you. It is really not-"

"Oh just save the tough guy crap Nate and sit down already."

He narrowed his eyes and looked down his nose at her but after a few moments slowly obeyed. When she started taking off his left boot he corrected with a smirk, "Other foot."

Maura looked up, saw it and threw back one of her own. "I know… I'm still checking it. Even if it's not injured as well it's good to have an idea of what your ankle should look like." Jerking the boot off then sock she next checked over his range of motion, making a face of concentration.

"Does it smell so terrible?"

She laughed and confirmed, "Positively horrid." Looking up she found him grinning down at her but it turned to a wince the moment she pulled at the laces of his right boot. Pausing, she carefully eased it up upon a knee and tried to gently feel his ankle under the thick leather. Then more to herself than to him she mumbled, "This is bad, it's double the size of the other one." Tying the laces back up before putting it down she explained, "I think if I take it off now we might not be able to get it back on. And right now it's helping the ankle stay stable. When did this happen?"

"About an hour ago while training."

"And did you immediately stop?"

"Of course."

"It was smart of you to laced it up tight but jeez Nate what exactly did you do to it?"

"I am unsure. I have performed the jump a great many of times before with no problems. But this time for some reason it slid a little when I landed and it just started hurting." His voice held more fascination than alarm when he asked, "Do you believe it is broken?"

"Maybe, we won't know till I take you in."

"In? No… I do not care for your hospitals."

"Me neither. Part of why I became just a paramedic to not be in them so much. How about we go to the walk-in clinic instead since you don't seem to be bleeding or dying?"

"I still rather not."

"Look if it's broken you could face serious long term complications if it's not set or treated correctly. Helen will just do an X-ray and we'll be in and out. Worst case scenario you'll be on crutches for a few weeks."

"So no needles or blood will be drawn?"

Maura could not repress the smile and reassured, "No needles I promise." She watched his mouth tighten in debate.

"And how much would it cost?"

"Relax you can make payments, small ones." Rising she waited while he put is left boot back on. But when she offered to help him up he waved her off.

"No need, I can manage."

By the time they could just start to see the street his limp had grown more pronounced. His lips nearly disappeared in a grimace of agony. Yet he did not complain. Whenever she paused so he could catch up he glowered at her but after the third time he snarled, "Stop it! Make yourself useful, go on ahead and secure transport!"

If it was one thing Maura hated more than anything, it was anyone rudely ordering her about. And even though he was being an ass, she still wanted to help him walk but had a feeling he was far too proud to accept it.

_At least, not without being bullied first._

She decided, halted, turned, put her hands on her hips, glared at him and growled back, "No."

"I said-"

"Oh Shut-up. Look, I get it. You want to be the tough guy? Fine, be one and injure yourself more. Maybe even permanently cripple yourself. Hey a limp, now that is bad ass. Maybe you'll fall and break something else like an arm too. Or you can let me help you walk to the curb. Look around you! Nobody cares how tough you are!"

=0=

His cheeks burned as he glared at her and bit his tongue. Anger burning white hot at her words and mostly because of the pain he reminded himself that he had yet to ever strike an unarmed female and he was not about to start now. Tense seconds passed as he reigned in his temper as he looked about and found that indeed nobody seemed to be paying much attention to them. Giving a harsh half grin he ground out, "Come here."

He did not know if it was pure ignorance or bravery that had her crossing her arms and slowly strolling up to him. Maura only stared him down at first but slowly calmed. Softly she started, "Look I understand pain can make anyone short of temper but I still don't appreciate it when all I'm trying to do is to help."

Maybe it was her look or tone but something was making him feel a surge of guilt. Reluctantly he offered, "No need to go ahead. I will keep myself in check."

Drawing closer she nodded. "Good."

With the left corner of his mouth pulling up again into now a lopsided smile, he teased. "You may be my crutch, if you so insist."

She jumped when he threw his right arm around her shoulder. With the top of it fitting just under it, he realized she was just the right height for the task. But he paid little attention to the detail as the warm softness of her small fingers laced with his. Her other hand sliding over his lower back to wrap an arm around his waist made him tremble. From her touch he learned a part of her was enjoying the contact but her greater concern was for his well-being.

When they reached the curb he noticed her expression of concentration. Her eyes were directed upon the other side of the street but not really seeing what was there. Her hand tight around his shook and he felt something from him was being pulled away.

"Maura?"

Instantly she came back, blinking. A light sheen of sweat now covered her face and yet she acted as if nothing had just happened. Instead she let go of his hand at her shoulder to raise it for a cab. As one pulled up she turned to him and gave him a weak smile. When it came to a stop, she let him go, fumbled with the door, got in first and slid over to make room for him. Getting in, he realized the throbbing in his right ankle was now down to a dull ache. Turning to Maura, he watched her lean back in the seat and rub at the pressure points around her forehead and ears.

When she spotted him staring she opened her mouth but the driver asked, "Where to? I don't got all day."

"Kings County Hospital," she gave softly and went back to rubbing her head. When the cabbie gave a nod and pulled into the street she gave a tired sigh.

Nuada stared at his ankle then at her again. Having experienced being healed before, he still wondered over how it was possible. Calmed he saw how much pain she now was in by helping him. She had the ability but the price of doing it seemed to cost her more than it would a healer of his people. Cupping her shoulder he said quietly so the driver would not hear, "Do not do that for me ever again."

When she shrugged his hand off, too late he realized his words given their short turbulent history would come off as rude. The equally quiet but bitter, "Your welcome" from her confirmed it.

Gritting his teeth, he said nothing more. Partly in the hopes she would cool off by the time they reached the hospital. Secondly, it was not like he could tell her the truth. Not when she was not so forthcoming about whom she really was as well.

When they arrived, Maura paid the cab driver, turned to him and coolly said, "Take thirty off what I owe you for this." She then got out and slammed the door.

_Apparently she needs more time._

Sighing he opened his on the left side and worked his way around the back of the cab. Patiently she waited for him. But when he reached her side, she did what she thought he meant and did not offer to be his crutch again.

Not willing to apologize for yet another misunderstanding, he without a word limped along with her to the walk-in clinic's main desk.

"Dr. Barry, please. It's an urgent personal matter. I'm her roommate."

"Name?"

"Maura Healy."

"Okay, take a seat and wait. It may be awhile."

He paused while she went ahead and found two seats that were not near anyone who looked contagious. The room was filled with the sounds of frustrated children, coughing, sneezing and adults talking quietly to each other when not telling the children to behave. Nuada truly hoped he would not become sick because of the spell.

When they finally sat down, Maura still made a point to ignore him. Even with all of his years, he knew little on how to defuse an angry female. But then any female he dealt with in the past was his obedient subject, patient relative or potential enemy. Maura did not fit into any category and while her temper was now contained, Nuada thought one wrong word or move could make her blow.

"How is your head?" He offered diplomatically after taking a moment to seek his sister's advise. It earned him Maura's wary attention but nothing more. She appeared to be awaiting an apology but he was dammed if he was going to offer one. Calmly instead he explained, "Earlier… what I meant was I do not wish to cause you strain due to an injury of mine."

"I help people, regardless of who they are. It _usually_ makes me happy and leaves me with a great sense of fulfillment. So no, I will not stop helping you. Even if you become, I hope to think as a result of just the pain, an occasional ass."

"Fair enough."

Thanks to her, he was feeling much better. And because of it, her periodic prickly moods had him suddenly grinning instead of fuming. Besides Wink and his sister, he realized Maura was the only other one who dared to get into his face and give him an honest piece of their mind.

_But then unlike my longtime friend, she is clueless to whom I really am. Yet then again since she is American, raised with no sovereign, she may still tell me to "go to hell" upon occasion. Even if she were to ever learn the truth._

As he looked at her, something in his expression must have softened and offered some kind of encouragement. For the next thing he knew, she relaxed and sat back as he was in the small chairs. Their shoulders now pressed together casually, she inclined her head towards him and whispered, "I'm feeling a little better, thank you for asking."

The warmth from her arm he could feel through their shirts. And with a nature that always yearns for contact, Nuada ignored the light smell of chemicals upon her and did not pull away. Instead he tilted and rested his crown upon hers and felt her body tensing. Unsure what to do or say next he stared at their hands lying not even an inch apart upon the arm rests between them.

With nothing better to do, he tested her reaction of a brush of his fingertips to the back of her hand. It was a mistake. She gave a sharp intake of breath while he bit back a moan. The acute desire within her surged into him so hard and fast he found his body responding painfully.

Their eyes met and he found her cheeks flushed. As her lips parted, he did not even realize he was drawing closer to them till someone was clearing their throat. Snapping out of it they both looked up blinking.

"So I take it this is Nate, huh Maura?"

"Ah yes!" Maura jolted upright. "Nate Lance this is my friend Dr. Helen Barry."

Feeling heat flood his face, he dumbly stared at the woman before them in scrubs and a white coat. A few inches shorter than Maura and more delicate boned did nothing to diminish her presence or smile. A dimple dotted each cheek as her dark eyes regarded them warmly and with some humor.

"Sorry if I interrupted anything."

"No! No…um not at all," Maura answered, stood up and weaved a little.

"Nothing at all Dr. Barry," Nuada agreed automatically. Confused over what just happened it took him a moment to notice her offered hand.

When he took it she gave his a firm shake and added, "Pleased to meet you. But please call me Helen."

_Her friend is not hollow either…._

He thought sensing only concern, excitement and slight fatigue when she let go. As Maura rose to explain, Nuada prudently kept sitting until he had regained control of his body once again.

"Let's see what I can do." She next led them to a room but left them after explaining, "I'm swamped now but waiting here I hope is a little more comfortable. Stay put and I'll be back as soon as I can."

Alone Maura asked, "So do you live on the sixth floor? The number on your address was six hundred and eight."

Thinking of all of those stairs, Nuada groaned, "Yes."

"Well I'll help you up them and later I can run a few errands for you if-"

Calmly he interrupted, "Would it involve another deduction to your bill?"

She looked utterly disgusted at the suggestion but the fact of the matter was he doubted he could afford her services. His savings were nearly gone and his first rental payment was coming due. And now staring at his ankle, he realized this would be yet one more set back.

"Did I bring money up?"

"No but I am certain that eventually-"

"Stop it! The cab would have cost you thirty whether or not I was in it! I figured since it's the end of the month you might be a bit tight. I paid it to help you out. So please quit assuming the worst of me Nate."

"You should take your own advice then. All I asked was a simple question."

He looked up to find her jaw working in outrage. She looked about to blow again but then with glassy eyes swallowed. "Fine… fine now can we both stop being asses to each other from now on, please? You're obviously not a yuppie jerk and I'm not a gold digger, deal?"

Taking her extended hand, he realized how close she had come to tears. How rejected, insulted and sad she was at the moment made him wince. Without thinking, he pulled her into a hug and gave softly into her ear, "Oh come. I never thought of you as such."

"Well… That question made me feel like one," Maura gave after a little jump. Stiff in his arms, her feelings were a jumble to him as she slowly brought up her arms but hesitated to embrace him back.

_What a very human response. What is so wrong with what I offer?_

He thought as her cheek pressed to his, after letting out a slow breath, she cautiously started to hug him back. Feeling her pain he tried something new, he pulled at it. Tried to take it away much like she had done with his rage and with it came memories. Through her eyes he saw a rush of years of humans who had touched her fill his mind. He now had no doubts she bore and ability like him to see what was in their hearts. Yet unlike him she felt their emotions too.

Her deepest fears surfaced, why she had tried so hard to avoid casual and intimate contact. At times the experiences were incredibly painful and confusing for her. Bombarded with greed, lust, despair, jealousy, hate and the worst of all, nothing. The occasional hollow ones painfully sucking at her, delight filling their normally empty eyes as she tried to wrench her hand free of them. But in trying so hard to avoid getting hurt it still was costing her only in a different way.

"Deal. Now relax, you seemed to need this."

"No, I'm just a little worried not being able to pay my share of the rent in a few months. Not getting a call back for an interview these last few weeks is starting to make me wonder if I did something wrong."

"Just try again. Do not give up," he suggested and kept holding her. As she relaxed more into his arms the sensations and vision started to change. Slowly, warmth and hope filled him. Nuada gave a soft gasp as something new struggled to the surface within her, growing.

The door began to open. Immediately, Maura wiggled for freedom. Reluctantly, Nuada let her go. When he next reached out to take her hand, she turned before seeing the offer. Instead she crossed her arms, looked down and shuffled a foot. She had been on the verge of sharing something wonderful with him but now she could not even meet his eyes. Feeling suddenly cold and closed off, he dropped his hand to his side with a sigh as a nurse stepped in.


	9. Chapter Eight: 12:54 pm

Chapter Eight: 12:54 pm

_Nine months, three days, eleven hours and six minutes_

After a late morning walk cut short, Nuala slowly limped back to her chambers. In passing with the Chamberlain, she requested the Cecht sisters to come see her. Since their father Diane's disappearance they along with other members of the family had filled the void of Royal Healer.

Seeing her injured, he as usual fussed worriedly and insisted upon helping her first. His thin and long arms were surprisingly strong as he offered one to help her as the other waved about as he talked. "A true shame Diane is no longer with us your Highness… A true shame."

"Yes, any news upon why he left once the veil was dropped or clue to where he could be?"

Ever thinking the worse the Chamberlain answered, "No… no… I fear he is gone from this world and soon we all shall be if-"

"Or perhaps he simply wishes to be alone. For a number of tragedies and much death has fallen upon his family," Nuala suggested and winced as the pain in her ankle grew worse.

The Chamberlain through his tiny nose sniffed, "Étan and Ochtriullach will have to do for now. Fortunately… They decided to remain after they brought you home to us last night. Why they spend so much time outside the safety of the veil confounds me… living among humans… It must be a family habit. For Creidhne our master smith, Diane's brother also took his leave even before him. And let's not forget Dian's daughter after the death of Miach centuries ago. I fear she too is truly lost. Nobody has heard from her in a many of years… not one word, after what happened."

"Airmed," Nuala whispered her delicate features crumpling in sadness. It had been hard to lose one mother. Their governess, who became like a second to them after Queen Danu's death, had been another great blow to her and more so her twin. For she knew deep down Nuada still blamed himself for being unable to find and protect her. "Let us not give up hope upon Airmed just yet, Chamberlain. She perhaps like her father is under a veil of their own making, tending to wounds of the heart."

"Of course… My apologies your royal highness," he exclaimed and dipped low.

"As for the remaining Cecht sisters Chamberlain, they are one of many eyes upon the humans. I think out of all of us great and small, they are the most proficient in understanding the world today. I have heard from father how they have invested carefully through the last fifty years to amass quite a fortune for all of us."

"Human money… stocks and bonds. All so we can gather resources… All so we may keep hiding from them," exhaled the Chamberlain wearily as his beady black eyes at the corners of his boxy head regarded her in concern. As his mouth far below dipped in sadness, he slowly continued. "Forgive me but I must say… Your current appearance is rather… upsetting. Yet… I do hope this wager will work. Rumors of war with humans… Truly upsets me and many others. Fading away, the other alternative… equally so."

Nuala also bore a worried frown to the thought. The veils, which most of their kind in the past hid under for the majority of the year, had been turned off after the passing of what the humans called the second millennium. Instead of being dropped for a few days each human year they would rest for, at the very least, a human generation. All to take on an incredible amount of power for what would be required of them next.

King Balor decreeing that no more children were to be born among the races and when the veils were raised once again its ability would be reversed. Years would pass under the veil as only days would pass outside of it. And in as little as of a few more human generations none of the fae would remain.

Nuala tried to gain some comfort in the fact that if all else failed at least her people would live the rest of their lives under the veils in peace. Yet there would be a very foreseeable end.

One she would sacrifice her life for, if the wager failed to sway her brother from his hatred of humans. Above all else she would not allow the Golden Army to be reawakened. She refused along with many others to let their people stoop so low to wipe out another race even if it meant saving themselves.

Death did not frighten her because life without growing to bear more was no life at all. She was only saddened by the thought she would never have children. She would not even have a mate. For no male or female currently under her father's rule called to her heart and soul.

Nuada admitted centuries ago to the same frustrating problem. There had been lovers in the past but they never became something more. And Diane while with them could offer no explanation to why except to say, "Perhaps they simply have not come into this world yet. Be patient my crowned prince and princess."

_"Patience has brought us nothing brother. Will they just collect and wonder over the many bones great and small, the fossilized statues of elderly dead elves and decaying structures? Weep over finding themselves truly alone on this Earth? Or would they only grieve over the wealth of knowledge our people are determined to destroy rather than share with them? Oh how I hope this does not come to pass!"_

"_It will not sister, I will find a way. We will not fade. I will not allow it."_

Nuada's deep voice soothed away her worries as the Chamberlain left to fetch Étan and Ochtriullach.

When they arrived Nuala had to remind herself that more than a millennium ago, before her brother went into exile, they had been younger than her. But since they, through the very many years spent more time outside of the veils, they now appeared to be a little older than she and certainly wiser. Grinning at them Nuala offered lunch. As they all ate she left no detail out of what she sensed and saw through Nuada last night. As expected they were very pleased at the news.

"A distraction indeed! You truly think a mere human has already captured the crowned prince's interest? A human, oh how ironic!" Laughed Étan happily as she nudged her older sister. "Regretting your cynicism yet?"

"Yes-yes your stake in the hopes he'll find love during this foolish wager may reap a reward from me, if such a thing is even possible," Ochtriullach grumbled and held up a finger. "But I shall not pay if he simply stares at her bottom and later on beds her a few times before losing interest."

"I understand a full bond must be made for me to win our little side bet. But have faith in your idea and ability to hobble some of his abilities. It will help this all work. I'm sure of it," Étan waved her sister's doubts off. "Now, tell us more please princess."

Nuala shrugged, "His hatred for her kind is still very strong but I know deep down something about her has him quite puzzled. At least it seems so for his emotions fluctuate greatly whenever she is nearby. I dare not brooch upon why or bring her up and yet upon occasion when he is especially frustrated with her, he seeks my advice."

"And?" Étan gasped as Ochtriullach rolled her eyes.

"I only remind him to thank her for all the help she has given and that polite requests earn more results than orders with any female."

Ochtriullach muttered sarcastically, "If he needs your advice so much why not live as a human too? Truly play the part of sister."

"What a splendid idea!" Exclaimed Étan as Ochtriullach's eyes widen also in excitement.

Nuala's brow furrowed. "But why?"

"Why not? Since you are stuck looking like one as well?" Étan countered and nudged her older sister again.

Ochtriullach gave Nuala a critical look and argued, "Frankly… I don't know how you stand remaining here all of these years and not go out to explore like the rest of us."

"I have my duties, books and Father prefers I stay close. To be safe and I doubt he will-"

"Oh really and how old are you," Ochtriullach demanded.

"That is not relevant I am a princess and have-"

"The right to have a little fun!" Étan interrupted and added, "Think about it. All of this time your brother has been free, why cannot you? We have a little place in Manhattan... Come! Stay with us?"

Ochtriullah added dryly, "It will be fun... think of all of the books out there you can read. The burrows have dozens and dozens of libraries. And admit it. Wearing those human clothes was nice right?"

"We do not live far from Blackwood's auction house. Mr. Wink could stay close by there to keep you safe." Étan suggested and got up.

"And what of my brother's?"

"That reminds me!" Ochtriullach declared with a huff. "A wood fairy just came in to report your brother has been training there, again! He also wishes to speak to you about another matter and is quite insistent."

Rubbing her still sore ankle, Nuala gave an understanding nod but smiled. "I do not think that will be a problem for a few weeks now. since I twisted my ankle, thank you for binding it Étan."

"Are you certain you will not let us heal it?" Ochtriullach grimaced and bent to take her ankle into her hands.

"No it is better than before," insisted Nuala easing her foot free. "Besides, it would be best if my brother endures it. He needs to understand fully what trials humans face if he is ever to understand why they do what they do. Luckily it happened while he was training. He thinks he did it to himself. Now the wood fairy, let us see what other news he brings."

Remembering all of the scars their princess bore under her fine gowns and the pain she had suffered when the prince threw himself into battle long ago durring the great war with the humans the Cecht sisters grimly agreed.

=0=

When the nurse had taken him to X-ray, Maura waited in the room, hugged herself tight and closed her eyes. She wondered if Nate had done something when he held her or she was just imagining things. The headache was gone. Even now warmth from him lingered and made her ached for more the moment she let go of the door behind the nurse who wheeled him out. She grinned, remembering she only had to give him a stern look when he started to insist that the wheelchair was not necessary.

As it faded she thought back to the unexpected hug and what he did in the waiting room also had her confused. She felt the yearning to connect and concern flow from his fingertips as they brushed over the back of her hand. Yet there was still an undercurrent of frustration, anger, fear and confusion.

Her cheeks burned once more at how she reacted so acutely to the simple touch. But then when he first rested his head against hers, their shoulders also pressed together it had taken all of her control to hold still. To keep her breathing even, not make one move as the desire to take his hand and turn her head to brush her lips over his cheek then lips grew with each passing second.

_He moaned. Did he really moan or was that me?_

She trembled remembering the sound of it and shot to her feet. Pacing the room before they returned she had wondered what had gotten into her since the moment she laid eyes on him. Never had she felt so out of control. Never in the past had she had such a strong urge to pursue anyone. Instead she had zero motivation to be in a relationship just for the sake of some company. Nor did she waist time daydreaming about the kind of house she wanted to settle down in, how many kids she'd wished to have or even envision what her wedding day would be like. All she could think about growing up was helping others and someday living in New York.

Now after the nurse returned with Nate on crutches and they awaited the results, an awkward silence had fallen between them. Maura offered him a quick smile but went back to reading the year old _Discovery_magazine she had found in a pile of _Better Homes and Gardens_. After Nate eased slowly down to sit next to her, he said nothing and just picked over the magazines till he found a _TIME._His broad shoulder once more pressed to hers and rubbed as he flipped through the pages.

She tried to ignore him and the growing warmth the contact was creating by focusing on the article. But a picture of an atomic bomb's mushroom cloud was pushed down over it.

"How many weapons such as these, does this country have?"

"I dunno hundreds-maybe thousands? Of that size your guess is as good as mine."

"They come in different sizes?" He squinted at the photo and pulled the magazine back into his lap.

"Yeah... various governments have different sizes and uranium quality... payloads I think the term is. Some are designed to just take out fortified buildings or ones the size of sky scrapers. Others can flatten small towns and cities as big as this one."

"According to this, it was only use twice during World War II."

"Not our country's proudest moment."

He went back to reading the article then mumbled as if thinking aloud, "So because of the devastation they caused most countries today would be highly reluctant to use them again on each other."

Putting her magazine down in her lap, she gave him a confused look. "Of course, they kill innocent people and screw up the surrounding ecosystems. So yeah we only want to use them as a last resort." At his interested look she added, "The only reason they keep them around is to keep the peace. A holding guns to one another's heads kind of peace but still. The only other reason might be if… say of all things aliens attacked, then we'd throw everything we had at them."

"So they would use them in that circumstance even if it meant destroying our Earth?"

"I would like to think of it as we humans don't give up… ever. If it means _nearly_ destroying it to protect what we love we will pay the cost."

"Your houses and cities."

"No... Sorry about that. I should have said… whom we loved. Our friends and families, houses and cities can be rebuilt. And even if we were to lose them we would not dishonor them by giving up. Don't you agree?"

=0=

Her eyes were so hard and resolute Nuada found himself agreeing automatically, "Of course... anything for them. But what if there was no hope of success over your enemy?"

"What's with all of this gloomy talk?"

He could only shrug and pretend to start reading again. But coming up with an idea he asked, "If you were the leader of this country and aliens as you called them revealed themselves what would you do?"

"It depends, are they hostel or do they come in peace?"

"They want your land."

"All of it?" When he only nodded in response Maura grumbled. "Well that's not very nice of them for starters. Why all of it?"

"That is of little importance."

"No it's not. Tell me why."

"They were there first."

"So what... all of this time were they someplace else?"

"No they were suffering in the shadows."

"Well I guess, I would ask them why the hell they didn't say something sooner. Are they all upset with my people because of just land?"

"Let us say, their soon to be leader is not please about how you treat it."

To that Maura sat up, and he could see her growing frustrated. "It doesn't matter what he or she thinks. What do his or her people want?"

Nuada thought for a moment then realized, "He does not know exactly at this moment."

"Wow… he sounds like an out of touch dictator then. Now what's with that sour look? Should a leader just do what he wants or-"

"He does what is best for his people! Enough stalling, answer the question." He snapped growing impatient and turned in the chair to face her.

"Okay," she drew out and gave the question some serious thought. "Sorry, but I just don't understand, why didn't they just say something sooner? You never answered that."

"Your ancestors made a promise long ago before you were born but broke it."

"So that happened under my rule?"

"No long before."

"And they didn't think to bother pointing this out? Why now? I mean, what if my people just forgot the promise over time and didn't realize they were doing something wrong."

Something about her questions started to poke at him, making him feel the point he was trying to make was shaky at best. With it his temper rose as he ground out slowly, "Because Maura you do not forget promises, you keep them."

"True but is it fair to blame the children for the sins of their parents?"

"Answer the question. What would you do?"

She opened her mouth to argue over the point of blame. But as his eyes narrowed she replied sulkily, "Oh fine… Negotiate. War is stupid, expensive and only creates more problems than they solve."

Holding up the image of the nuclear explosion, Nuada pointed out coldly. "Yet your past leaders do not seem to think so."

She let out a deep breath and held up her hands. "Look, this debate has been fun but I'm not going down this path anymore. I hate talking about politics because nobody's hands are clean. It's all about money and that just upsets me. There is hardly any honor left in the world today.

"So you agree with me."

"You asked me what I would do. You have your answer." She was quiet for a moment before adding, "And no. I don't agree with you because, we didn't start World War II and far as I know we tried diplomatic measures. If you ask me, the ones who usually start trouble are either desperate or greedy or both. Thankfully not all of us are."

"But what if this leader refused to negotiate? What if he feels that the world would be a far better place without your kind messing it up... poisoning it... taking and taking and giving so little back. What would you do then Maura?"

She said nothing at first. Her jaw worked in anger again instead before she muttered tightly, "Then their leader is desperate, arrogant, stupid, greedy or all of the above. He has no regard for his people to expose them to war. To teach them violence is not the absolute last resort. And to wipe out an entire race would make him no better... than the worst of us."

Looking down Nuada watched her tab a finger upon a picture of a very stern looking man with a small mustache under his nose. Her cold words had his temper boiling over as his hard gaze rose back up to her face. When Maura's eyes finally met his, hers filled with concern and fear. As she reached out for him and asked, "Nate are you okay?" he crumpled the magazine in his fists and bit back the words that shouted in his mind.

"_What other choice do I have? How DARE you call me a fool and out of touch! I? I! I worse than a human? A greedy, prideful, stupid and hollow human!"_

"_Her opinion is based upon a scenario you present her, your plans at the very most and not of you directly."_Nuala's calming words entered his mind but were only drops of water upon his sizzling temper.

"_So you know… And will you honor the wager still, regardless of my intent?"_

"_Of course…"_Her voice echoed and merged with something Maura whispered. At that moment he felt her hands slip over his fists, the softest of touches then no more.

How much time passed, he did not know before hearing Helen say, "Maura calm down, he's breathing."

"Still… oh I feel so terrible. We... well he got upset and…" Maura's concerned voice had him struggling to open his eyes to show her there was nothing to worry about.

"He'll be fine I'm sure. Look, he's coming to."

Nuada squinted up at the both of them and wondered how he ended up on the floor. His head resting in Maura's lap, her hands fussing and stroking his cheeks and forehead. A peace, concern and guilt coursed from her into him as Helen was doing something to his arm. As a tight cuff loosened with a soft hiss he jerked.

"What is going on!"

"Shhh… she's just taking your blood pressure, hold still or she'll have to do it again." Maura softly ordered and when he tried to move a stronger wave of peace pressed harder over him. "Nate _relax._"

"It's still pretty high and he's still very pale," Helen sighed and started to move something cool and round under his shirt over his chest.

Remembering the pendent and worrying about it not being in contact with his skin, with a free hand he felt for it. Finding it barely touching and lying mostly upon its cord in the hollow of his throat he squeezed his eyes tightly shut. Grabbing a hold of the small clear crystal and moving it out of Helen's way, he kept his eyes closed for a while.

"Heart rate seems to be going back down," Helen reported and straightened his shirt. "And look his color is returning too. What happened before he passed out?"

"We were talking about a scenario. Politics and he became very upset and… um.. well the next thing I knew he just fell forward. I managed to..."

"I am awake now. You could address your questions to me." He muttered and to his frustration they ignored him. Giving a sigh he decided to just remain quiet and listen as Maura's comforting touches calmed him more than he cared to admit.

"…to catch him and was about to go for the emergency call button when you came in."

"I know you haven't known him for very long but does he seem under stress to you?"

Nuada scowled up at them as they both looked down at to study him.

"Oh yes," Maura agreed and blushed. "But… I doubt he would ever admit it. What do you think it was, a panic attack?"

Helen nodded in agreement, "Probably. I wonder if he has a history of Anxiety. Say Nate do you-"

"Anxiety! Panic attack? How dare you suggest such a thing!" Nuada snorted at the thought and tried to sit up.

"Whoah there," Helen ordered and smirked as she helped him slowly sit up. "You take it easy there or you're going to have another one."

Glaring at the both of them Nuada ground out, "As you wish. But know this, I do NOT panic."


	10. Chapter Nine: 7:43 pm

Chapter Nine:7:43 pm

_Nine months, three days, four hours and seventeen minutes_

After reaching the third floor of Nate's walk up, Maura was starting to regret her offer to help him up the stairs. Besides the occasional grunt, he said nothing only concentrated upon the task. He had yet to ever complain over being injured. But what bothered her was he remained so very angry to the point it still hurt to touch him. She guessed his mood had not improved due to finding out he had suffered a second degree ankle sprain and would need to stay completely off it for the next forty-eight hours followed by a few weeks of rehabilitation. Or he had somehow figured out she was behind his sudden loss of consciousness. Regardless of the reason, all Maura could do was bite back moans of pain and take more care when keeping his arm over her shoulders, to not let their skin come into direct contact.

Spotting a short radiator heater on the landing of the fourth floor Maura pointed to it and suggested, "Let's rest here."

"I do not require-"

"Well I do! And unless you want to gimp up those remaining stairs all by yourself and probably fall breaking your neck, then be my guest!" She let out a relieved breath when he shifted his weight off of her to the banister and without a word took back the crutches. As he used them to get himself to the makeshift bench, Maura winced at her short temper. But after helping him move, taking his pain away, calming him down over and over again, it was more than frayed.

Sitting down he gave a small smirk and finished, "I do not require help because I have adjusted to my injury and you appear to be growing tired. If I look to be close to falling and breaking my neck as you say, I would appreciate some assistance then."

Crossing her arms she muttered impishly, "Yeah right you were going to say that." Settling upon the uncomfortable metal chambers of the radiator she still made sure to put some space between them.

Perhaps it was feeling guilty over what she had done to him at the hospital. But as he eyed her, he seemed to say cryptically, "I guess we do not always know what _has_ or will happen in life."

Maura tried not to squirm or fidget and feel bad over protecting herself. Why he became so furious over her opinion she did not know. When he glared at her murderously, not knowing him well enough and remembering how he grabbed her in the park, she was not about to take any chances. If someone had witnessed what she had done all they would have seen her do was touch him and mummer simply, "Sleep."

She grimaced remembering the pain as the rage in him burned at her fingertips. How it shot up her arm when he crumpled forward into them. An utter sadness filled her as she held him tight for a moment. A few tears stung at her eyes as his energy punched into her chest and squeezed around her heart before slowly letting go. He had managed to struggle and fight back against the suggestion briefly before succumbing to it. Something she had never encountered before. It left her puzzled and feeling ever the more horrible.

Lowering him to the ground carefully she had whispered in regret, "I'm so sorry Nate."

Of all of her abilities she possessed, she absolutely loathed this one the most. True, it was potentially helpful at times. But it still upset her that she could render anyone friend or foe utterly helpless all be it temporarily.

"What troubles you," his deep voice pushed into her remorse. Honestly she did not know what to say or could, so she said nothing. After a while he did so for her. "My temper, it frightens you."

"No, it just hurts." When his eyes widened and he tried to reach for her shoulder in apology she slid farther away.

"Maura I would never hurt-"

"That's good but do me another favor too Nate." She took a moment, picked at a thumb nail, absently cleaning it while thinking over how to put things in a way that would seem the least weird. Starting on her other thumb she decided upon carefully. "Don't touch me when you are upset. I can't stand that okay? You… you can be a bit intense at times and well… you need to not touch me then or lighten up."

"How when-" He bit back the demand yet it was still loud, dejected with a trace of regret.

"Well what is upsetting you, besides me?" Waiting she rubbed her hands nervously over her gray yoga pants knees.

"You do not. Well, not always at least." She risked a peek and found him giving that hard half grin of his again. It faded however at his next softer words, "Still I wish I could tell you."

"Why not?"

"It is… complicated."

"So dumb it down." At his confused look she drew a leg up to turn to him and added, "Try to put it simply. Break it apart and identify the real underlying problem. I don't need all of the details, right?" She watched and hugged her leg as he fell into deep thought.

After what felt like at least a full minute of nothing he slowly started, "My father and I do not see eye to eye on some matters. I have obligations to him and many others."

"So… a family business?"

He looked at her briefly then back to the floor. "You could put it that way. Right now my father still leads but I had felt he was misguided and out of touch. Since he clings to old ideals which I feel will not allow us to continue and thrive."

"Is this because he doesn't like your plans for change or he refuses all change in general?"

She watched his eyes tighten and his lips part in deep thought before he murmured, "I am unsure about that aspect. Never gave it much thought till now. Before I was too caught up in one plan and the debate over if I should ask or even if it comes to it, force him to step down to pursue it. Now I am wondering if my plan will ever work and if my father knew this all along."

"Why do you say that?"

"I do not know if you have noticed this yet about me or not but I can be rather... stubborn at times." When he looked up Maura struggled to keep a straight face but eventually lost the battle.

She gave a soft snort, "At times?"

His eyes only crinkled as he squinted at her slyly and they shared a small laugh. But as it died away so did his brief moment of lightheartedness. Maura watched the burden slowly settle upon his sturdy shoulders as he returned to the topic of his father. "He is not one to waste words upon deaf ears. To that I am very guilty off. A long time I have been preparing for when I will take over my father's responsibilities but now I worry over what is best to do and if I'm even up to the task."

"Any suggestions from the employees? You know, you don't have to come up with all of the answers, right?"

Relaxing a little, he smiled and answered simply, "True... I do not. Perhaps, I have been _out of touch_."

Blushing she got up, shuffled a foot and quietly admitted. "So I'm guessing what I said about leaders at the hospital… it sorta struck a nerve, huh? I'm sorry if-"

"No. I should not have taken insult, Maura. No apology is needed."

She looked back and found his eyes were no longer hard but kind. His features at ease. Tentatively she reached out a hand and let out a relieved breath when he took it and used it briefly to rise to his uninjured foot. She felt no more pain at the skin to skin contact, instead he was pulsing with warmth and gratitude before he let go. It was a balm upon her nerves. Wordlessly she followed and watched if he needed help up the stairs. With his one hand using the crutch, his other upon the rail he worked up the remaining ones all by himself.

At entering his spartan, tidy and small apartment she assumed his family's business was indeed struggling. What also struck her as odd was the complete lack of electronics. There was no TV, radio, microwave. Not even a digital clock, only one for a fire place mantle was atop of the refrigerator. She smiled at it but the moment her eyes settled upon the coffee table it faded. At finding her father's pocket watch neatly dissected and arranged.

=0=

Nuada watched her cautiously approach, gazing at it and asking, "That bad?"

Reaching the sofa, he set aside the crutches and eased down onto the floor. Waving a hand over the table he reassured, "No only a few parts are missing and damaged beyond repair. What I have done was necessary for me to assess all of the issues. Repairing the case and reattaching this will prove the greater challenge."

Taking the engraved lid, she sat down across from him, looked it over and murmured, "I always wondered over this."

"The date?"

"No the words, do you think it's a part of a poem?"

"I could not say for certain. Perhaps my sister would, she reads far more than I." He paused in debate but then asked, "How old is your grandmother?"

"I dunno, whenever I ask she just smiles and says, 'a lady never reveals her true age,' why?"

He gave what she held another pointed look and explained, "1919… an engraving such as that usually marks a special event rather than when the watch was made."

Her brows drew together in confusion, staring at the date, doing the math. "Strange… If that were true it would make her about a hundred."

"At least," He agreed, watching her very closely.

"What is it?" She noticed and squirmed under his gaze uncomfortable.

"How old do you think she is?"

"Not a hundred, maybe eighty? I really don't know, she has always taken very good care of herself and is still very active. Practically lives in her herb garden and kitchen." When he gave her a dubious look she added hastily while putting the cover down. "Look that has to be a date for when the watch was made. Or it was a family heirloom on her side and the phrase and initials for Anna and Liam were added later on."

"Your grandparent's names?"

"Yes."

He hated to press her more but still he asked, "How old were you when your grandfather passed?"

"Not sure he died sometime before I was born, why?"

At his narrowed gaze of concentration, she shot up paced a little then suggested. "You should really get off the floor and keep that ankle elevated. And I should at least make a quick run to the corner store to get you some food and…" she took a few steps to open his refrigerator and he laughed softly at her jaw dropping. There was nothing in there but some questionable milk and half a loaf of stale whole grain bread. "Oh Nate," she tisked and opened up the freezer then gave a sigh.

It was filled with frozen vegetables, fruits, fish and other meats. He preferred fresh unprocessed food but it was expensive and did not keep long so he had settled for putting most of it on ice. What she said next puzzled him.

"Well at least you have plenty of packs for your ankle."

"Pardon?"

He watched her pull out a bag of peas and slam it on the counter to loosen them up. Walking back to the sofa she handed it to him and gave a nod to his ankle. "Elevate and ice that for twenty minutes every three to four hours at least for the next four days. And if I catch you putting any weight on that foot I'll drag you kicking and screaming back to that hospital."

Nuada arched a brow but smiled playfully before suggesting, "Speaking of the hospital and what you mentioned there about work… I was thinking that if you help me the very least I can do is not charge you on repairing this in exchange." He gave a pointed look to her father's pocket watch. To her growing smile he held up a finger and stressed, "But… since I am doing this for free-parts included, I have to focus on my other repairs first. Do you find this a fair offer for your help?"

"Yes. So it will take a little longer, that's no problem, no problem at all." He watched the grin grow on her face as she shifted from one foot to another in excitement. "So first order of business, do you want me to get you a few things today?"

Although it warmed him that she was pleased, he hid it and said coolly, "No help me up." As she did Nuada added, "I do not require you to fetch anything till tomorrow. I will manage fine for now and I will make up a list of tasks tonight."

He echoed her soft laugh when he wobbled upon one foot and she helped steady him. Holding his biceps, she warmly looked up. What she did next made him drop the bag of peas in surprise. This time without hesitation she hugged him tight. And as she eased back she even got to her tip toes to press a soft quick kiss upon his cheek. Such an act from a human would have mortify if not disgusted him in the past, he now found himself reacting in quite the opposite way.

Through the intoxicating haze of her joy and excitement pulsing through him, he almost missed her murmurer, "Thank you. I really do appreciate this. So will noon tomorrow be good?" When he just blinked as she carefully let him go, she prodded, "Nate?"

"Yes… yes that will be fine. But I will call before that time to give you the list and save you a trip."

He watched a little dazed as her cheeks started to become pink. Turning away before he could see them redden more, she headed for the door. From it she gave one more smile and let herself out. Leaving him to stare after her and slowly reach up to touch the warm spot where she chastely kissed him.

=0=

From the alley Wink spotted Maura skipped down the steps from Nuada's apartment building to the side walk. It set off a worried buzzing in his ear from Ike as someone who leaned leisurely against the fence watched her pass then rose off of it. He glared after her then started to follow.

"I told you, it is him. It has to be him! He follows our prince and now she is-"

Wink gave a soft growl, silencing Ike. Although he knew their tongue well, he never gave wood fairies much thought or respect. Still he had to give this one some credit for bravery all be it grudgingly. For Ike had risked it all. Revealing what he knew to him after some careful thought and seeing the reluctance in his eyes when it came to Nuada's plans for the Golden Army.

He only had to endure a brief fit from Ike before they put aside the small matter of his suggestion to Nuada to have him killed.

"It was nothing personal. I only asked to learn how much he cared for your friend," Wink assured and satisfied Ike literally stopped chewing him out.

Wink rubbed his small now sore ear absently. It did not take the both of them long to figure out neither one of them wanted bloodshed. Fast becoming allies and after some debate over what to do they had decided to seek Princess Nuala's advice. Her simple order to protect Nuada as well as Maura eased any guilt Wink had over trying to thwart the Crowned Prince's misguided plans. After all, the choice over what to do when he gained her piece of the crown after the wager would still remain.

Eyes narrowing upon the elf disguised in glamor growing closer to Maura, Wink wondered why Cecht was bothering with her. As Ike's chirpings became more urgent Wink hushed him with a soft rumble. Vanishing them both under his glamor, Wink started slowly and carefully after them. Thankfully the sidewalk and streets were not busy. But seeing a flash of a blade, Ike's squeal of alarm had Wink putting caution aside. Quickly he brought up his right arm to shoot out his mechanical hand as Cecht drew back his arm with blade extending.

=0=

Hearing heavy running footsteps from behind Maura turned around just as something grabbed a hold of a man's head and jerked him away from her. In his hand he was drawing horizontally of all things what looked like a very sharp dagger. But the blade was somehow growing, the very tip of it nicking her throat as she stumbled back clumsily in alarm. Maura gripping her neck felt her fingers grow warm and wet as he was yanked away and lifted off of his feet.

Something from the alley roared. Maura cried out watching the man come down with a sickening crash on the sidewalk. With the hairs on the back of her neck rising, she realized that after a fall like that a normal man would probably not be conscious let alone still fighting. He kept kicking instead, struggling to get what looked like a metal hand off of his face. Spotting the dropped dagger against all reason she snatched it up, cautiously followed and ignored the thin tickling trickle of blood down her heaving chest.

Something moved in the shadows as a body was slammed against what sounded like a dumpster. A low growl and heavy breathing had Maura eyeing the street in debate.

But the scuffling, followed by a man yelling, pulled her deeper into the alley in curiosity.

"De do ghnothaich!"

A series of deep garbled grunts mixed with what seemed words in a strange tongue responded. But hearing an angry and familiar chittering she made out, "You will not hurt her! Murderer! Filthy Murderer!"

"Aich te bheal! Aireamh na h-aoine ort!"

"We will not! She is under our protection now!"

"Ike!" Maura cried out, drew up the short blade shakily and charged around the corner only to find herself behind something very large and scary looking. It had to be no less than seven feet tall, roughly humanoid in shape. The creature's blue-grey back rippled with muscles and quills. All she could think to do was to keep breathing as it picked up the man and threw him against a brick wall with a roar. As the man fell to the ground unconscious, it slowly turned around to face her.

_Goodness, it looks like an ape with tusks! Well... one tusk._

She noted its right one was broken off. Its eyes seemed tiny compared to its large scarred mouth. Maura congratulated herself on not screaming but she was so frozen with fear she doubted she even make any sound at all. Lips working uselessly, she dropped her eyes, hoping somehow that it would agitate the creature less. It drew close and still unable to move her eyes focused upon it's large belt and recognized the symbol upon it from of her childhood. Yet none of the tales her grandmother read to her from a book bearing the same mark described a creature such as this, let along prepare her on how to deal with one. All they spoke about were elves especially the royal family.

"Ma-urrrr-aaa," he rumbled out. Breathing hard, his shoulders and arms rose and fell with each breath.

Shifting he drew his mechanical hand back behind him as if to hide it. Yet it was the very one that grabbed the man who attempted to kill her. Absorbing that fact, Maura tried to relax and peeked up. The creature meeting her eyes took what seemed a few shy steps back before turning his head to the left to regard her with one good right eye. She guessed the creature was male since he wore only an armored leather loincloth. Her dark brows knit in confusion as he bent his knees and dropped his shoulders. As if he was trying to make himself smaller and less threatening. Upon one of them sat Ike with an equally unsure look.

Just when Maura started to calm down, the creature's expression changed, he let out a frightening snarl then howled as he turned from her and took a few steps after her vanishing attacker. Even though the reaction was not meant for her, it still had her dropping the dagger and jumping back.

"Let him go we have our orders," she heard Ike say in his native language and with a frustrated snarl the large creature reluctantly seemed to agree before turning his attention back to her.

"Ah... H-h-hi," Maura managed to say to him without squeaking. He gave a smile and it only took a few strides before he was standing before her. Resisting the urge to take a few steps back, not wanting to cause insult she asked instead, "Um… Ike would you be a dear and tell me what the hell is going on, please?"

"Fffriend… Ca-ve Tro-oll," Ike explained in English and fluttered down from his shoulder to hers.

The creature backed up, pointed to his chest with his left hand and said slowly in a very deep voice, "Mr. Wink."

Eyeing his belt Maura managed, "Please to meet you, th-thank you for helping me. So… you serve Bethmoora?"

"Yesss, I pro-tect. Beeest yooou go hooome," Wink ground out as if he, like Ike struggled with speaking her language.

Craning her neck to look up at him she was not about to argue or push her luck with asking him a number of growing questions. Blinking, she realized Ike was talking urgently and as usual too fast for her to translate it all.

"Slow down!" Maura complained and closed her eyes to concentrate on all he said.

Ike tried but Wink ground out, "We gooo nooow. Gooo hhhome Ma-urr-aaa."

"But B-bethmoora… it's real? I thought... Wow, I have…" she trailed off opening her eyes to find the both of them gone. "Mr Wink? Ike?" She called out and looked about. Snatching up the blade, she ran to the other end of the alley. The same direction her attacker fled. Reaching another street she found nobody but pedestrians. Hastily she hid the odd blade in her sleeve but winced as it nicked the inside of her left forearm.

"Youch! Dammit that's sharp!" She grumbled and ducked back into the alley, found some cardboard to sheath the blade before stuffing it into her book bag. All the while muttering, "I don't understand. Grandma Ann always said the Bethmoora clan was nothing but fairy-" Squeezing her eyes shut in frustration she still smirked and realized with a laugh, "And I grew up seeing fairies, just got attacked by something that was probably not human and was saved by a troll today… a really-really big fucking troll so… okay it's real. It's all real!"

Putting further thought upon the matter aside for later, coming down off of the adrenaline, Maura shakily wiggled on her book bag and started for home, quickly.

=0=

Translations for the Gaelic Chet spoke.

"De do ghnothaich" _Mind you own business!_

"Aich te bheal" _Shut up!_

"Aireamh na h-aoine ort!" _Damn you!_

Note about Glamour powers: I based them off of what is seen and mentioned in Hellboy II. Nuada's ability to vanish himself and his sister completely to escape BPRD and how the fragglewump disguises herself among the humans. I made the assumption that fae can see through other fae's glamour with some concentration and using it over long periods of time can be draining. Hence why Nuada's pendent provides glamour for him to appear human all of the time but it also prevents him from using it to pull another disappearing act.


	11. Chapter Ten: 10:22 pm

**Chapter Ten: 10:22 pm**

_Nine months, three days, one hour and thirty-eight minutes_

Home, Maura plopped down her bag and rushed for the bathroom. The urge for a shower was overwhelming as what happened kept replaying over and over again in her reeling mind. After turning it on to let it warm up, she stripped and in the medicine cabinet mirror nervously inspected the horizontal half inch long cut upon her throat and shivered.

_If it had not been for Mr. Wink…_

Maura could not even finish the thought and jumped under the now lukewarm water. Scrubbing away the trail of dried blood that ran down her chest, she tried to be brave and not cry about it. Tried and failed. Hot tears went unseen, mixing with the warming spray yet it did little to muffle the shuddering gasps.

_Relax… it will be okay… Remember what they said to him. Besides, you did more damage to yourself than he did._

She gave an uneasy teary laugh looking down at her left forearm. The cut was longer and deep. Not wanting to stich it up, she rested a hand over it she closed her eyes and concentrated hard. The skin started to slowly stitch closed but her knees soon buckled at the effort and she stopped with a gasp. Catching her breath and leaning on the shower wall she let the now hot water pound over her back. Cursing over being able to heal others but when it came to herself it took far more energy and effort.

_At least it hurts less now._

She thought studying it over but finding little had really changed. Gritting her teeth she tried again and did not stop till she fell to all fours panting.

"Dammit!" She growled, struggled to her feet and looked at the cut again. It was still there but at least now it did not require stitches. Giving up she started washing her hair and body down while debating over whether or not to call her grandmother. After drying off, putting on some comfy pajama bottoms and a tank top she caved in and snatched up her mobile.

As it rang a few times she wondered what to say. Yet to her simple "Hello?" Maura already felt better.

"Hey Gran, how are you?"

"I am well, what about you?"

She bit her lower lip unsure and the hesitation she knew spoke volumes.

"Maura dear? Is something the matter?"

"Oh no, I'm fine-everything is fine. Sorry I'm a bit slow at the moment. It's just a headache," she blurted out and rubbed at her head.

"Hummm… getting them again? You seem tense too. Anything you want to get off your chest?"

Eyeing the healing cut on her arm then fingering the smaller one upon her neck Maura shook her head and lied uneasily, "Um no… no I'm good."

"Well you know you can tell me _anything_ right? _Anything_ at all-not much surprises me anymore."

Sucking in a breath Maura resisted the urge to break down and tell her everything. What happened today, maybe even her abilities. But the fear of disbelief creating a larger rift between them than the one of keeping secrets was far greater. Then there was the other reason.

"Any improvements with Mom? Any news at all?"

This time it was Anna who hesitated. Maura heard her give a soft sigh then say, "She's still the same. I'm sorry dear. I wish I could do something about it but her mind is still…"

It was what her grandmother always said and Maura gave the same tired and equally defeated reply, "I know Gran. I wish I could do something too."

In fact she had tried when her uncle and his family permitted a rare unsupervised visit. Since her father's death they had become extremely protective of her mother. And it took a while for Maura to realize they looked upon her and her Grandmother with suspicion perhaps blame as well. But finally alone she took the chance, gently held her mother's statuesque face and offered warm loving thoughts along with healing energy.

Seconds passed and then her mother with a soft gasp became lucid for a few bitter sweet minutes. Lauren seeing her daughter all grown up was understandably confused but still happy. They hugged and cried. Maura wanted to tell her so much but then she felt it. Pulling away she could only helplessly watch her mother's eyes go blank once more. Feel the emotions within fade away, leaving Maura feeling like she was just touching an everyday object. Only it was warm and slowly breathing.

Even though it had been years ago and she felt her ability was stronger, she had yet to make another attempt.

_Perhaps I just stopped too soon._

She hoped yet feared another failure. How the cruelty of it would affect the both of them. Lastly, she doubted her uncle would even permit another private visit. Not after what happened.

Finding his sister's face wet with tears and ignoring Maura's, his features grew angry yet calmly he asked her to simply leave. The look in his eyes stilled her tongue to try an offer some kind of explanation. When she hesitated, he wasted no time in grabbing her arm to insist. His intense emotions she had no doubts were directed entirely at her. His burning hostility made Maura scream in agony.

He let her go immediately but his next words were just as painful. "What the hell is the matter with you? I just want you to go. What did you do to upset her? Never mind, just go! Quit it with your sniveling! I hardly touched you girl!"

Anna's soft words broke into her reverie. "Your father and mother loved one another so very much. And they loved you too. Please always remember that dear."

Playing with the amethysts beads about her neck Maura Promised, "I will." The silence that followed was painful so she tried a brighter topic. "I found some _purple loosestrife_ in Prospect Park. I'll bring it when I come for a visit."

"I would like that very much since I'm growing low but seeing you I would love far more."

"I miss you too," Maura echoed, smiled at seeing an opening to ask. "Say… remember those stories you would read to me about the Bethmoora elves?"

Anna gave on a soft laugh, "Yes how could I forget?"

"Well, I was wondering when I come up for that visit could I see the book? I know it's old. I know you don't like me looking at it without-"

"You're all grown up now. Of course you can look at it without me hovering about. Taking a shine to the royal family again?"

Maura blushed, scratched between her shoulder blades and stammered, "N-no actually are there other stories besides the ones you read to me? Or did you read them all?"

"There were a few which… I felt you were too young for, but why the interest in them now? You haven't asked me about them since I grounded you for taking that rubbing of the royal seal on the cover."

"Hey, I didn't hurt it."

"That is not the point, you did not ask for permission. What if-"

"I'm sorry Gran," Maura gave for what seemed like the thousandth time. Still the lecture came and patiently she endured it.

=0=

Emerging from his sanctuary a few hours ago healed and whole, Chet progressed quickly through the stinking and bleating humans with ease appearing as one of them once again. Only this time he tolerated leaving them completely unharmed in his wake, all to not waste his time to pay a visit to his former apprentice.

Even under a cloaking glamor he clung to the shadows as he made his way to the block, his Prince for some reason had decided to reside upon. From the other side of the street his eyes narrowed warily upon the building. He wondered if Mr. Wink and the pesky wood fairy were still about, if they had found the time to inform the Prince what had happened and if he would live to see another day if she was indeed under his protection. He simply could not understand why she would be.

He gave a sad sigh and thought back to simpler times. Before the war, tutoring the Prince and how his own family was whole and untouched by the humans. After the truce was called, only the Prince seemed to understand and not King Balor who, like him also lost his wife. His friendship with the Prince had deepened as he did all he could along with his family to keep him and the princess safe during the war. Meanwhile his confidence in King Balor, who just sat listlessly upon his throne, faded completely away. When the humans cried out for mercy, only the Prince and he had both pleaded with him to reconsider yet he would not be moved. King Balor offered the humans a deal rather than more death.

_But no matter my Prince has and always will represent the hope and future for our people. King Balor is a broken fool! The humans violated and killed our Queen! Our Queen, my mate as well and so many of our kind! And he wept… wept in shame after what the Golden Army did to a few filthy villages! Damm that cowardly fool for breaking apart the crown! Damm him!_

Crossing the street Chet tried to calm his churning stomach and racing mind. He would need to explain his actions. The resentment and embarrassment roiled in him at the thought of how she a mere human could now cost him everything. A part of him trembled, at just the slightest chance that Prince Nuada would never trust him again over this mistake. Yet walking up the stairs he reasoned.

_Perhaps the cave troll and that wood fairy she calls Ike, are acting upon their own and no explanation will be required. I need only tread carefully and if needed plead my case. After all he knows how I enjoy a good hunt now and them. And how could I have possibly known she was under his protection? Yes he may be annoyed but she is hardly wounded and is still ver much alive… at least for now._

Brushing his fingers upon each door Chet sensed for the one his Prince resided behind. His revulsion growing at the glimpses into the hearts of every human he found instead. If that was not bad enough, the smell of their artificial flavored preservative food, synthetic furniture and toxic cleaning products made his sinuses burn and head pound. On the sixth floor, touching the eight door he smiled, inhaled and gave a sigh of relief along with a polite knock.

=0=

At someone tapping at the door, Nuada rose and with one crutch made his slow way to it. Looking through the peep hole he gave a huge grin recognizing the face even in human disguise. Opening the door he welcomed him in with hearty enthusiasm.

"Master Chet! It has been far too long since we shared words and drink, has it not?"

Chet hesitated upon the threshold but then upon dropping his gaze respectfully, he gave his injured foot a critical look. "Why have you not summoned a healer? And why do you use that ridiculous human-"

Nuada held up a hand when Chet tried to approach. Squeezing the older elf's shoulder he gave it a few affectionate slaps and chuckled as the sternness melted away in his old mentor's eyes. Chet gave a slow reluctant deep laugh and Nuada reassured, "All in good time I will answer these questions but first, fetch us some whiskey and glasses from the cupboard above the sink."

With a dip of his head Chet obeyed as Nuada settled back down upon the sofa. As he elevated his foot upon the arm of it he winced out, "I cannot let you help me too much. Else lose the wager with my sister."

Pulling up a kitchen chair, setting down the glasses upon the coffee table and opening the whiskey bottle Chet asked simply, "A wager?"

Giving nothing till receiving his glass then offering a small toast, Nuada started slowly while swirling the finger remaining. "I cannot receive aid from our people, walk upon our few of remaining territories. I have already pressed my luck with Nuala by visiting my sanctuary twice a month. But at least only nine remain to live among the humans and claim my prize."

Chet looked about them critically and grumbled, "Ah… So that is why you live here. So for what gain is worth mingling in this filth which is worse than the tunnels forgotten by the humans in the Earth?"

Bringing up the glasses to his lips, Nuada smiled and paused before replying, "Her piece of the crown. Far worth such a trial would you not say?"

His old mentor nodded and emptied his glass. "Aye, so you must interact with them as well?"

Thinking of Maura, Nuada gave a shrug and tried to make light of it with, "Two have been of some use and are still needed." Finishing his glass as well, he looked up and quirked a brow when Chet remained quiet, deep in thought.

Caught he swallowed and said softly, "I had no idea your highness." As he took the glass to pour them another, Nuada's eyes narrowed at the comment but it was soon forgotten at what he asked next. "So… Who shall I avoid killing?"

Although the question for some reason chilled him now, Nuada did not let it show and calmly gave the names, "A Mr. Mike Guillermo and a Ms. Maura Laurel Healy you will not harm."

"Now that I know, they will be most safe from my… attention," Chet promised and gave him a tight sharp smile. Getting up from the chair he finished his second glass as he strolled about the room. Nuada watched him casually but an uneasy feeling rose up inside of him. Chet's tolerance was never good and it did not take much of the potent elven made whiskey to put him in an unpredictable and sometimes volatile mood.

His eyes traveled till they fell upon the pocket watch and sharpened. Nostrils flaring Chet gave a snort then inspected what sat upon the refrigerator and observed, "Human time piece how… quaint. Whatever do you need them for? Appointments? So you will not be late for your… job? Does she require you to work as well?"

Seeing the anger start to burn in his eyes as he started to reach for the mantle clock, Nuada firmly ordered, "I feel it is best for you to leave now Master Chet."

The older elf did not listen, instead set the empty glass down with a hard slap. He then picked up the clock and pointed it at him. "This… this is an insult. And you fixed it did you not? Tell me!"

Nuada did not feel anger over Chet's outburst only a small bit of shame. Feeling as if he was a handful of years old again he regarded his old mentor warily. Chet's eyes were glassy with held back tears and Nuada understood completely why. Like his father he was never the same after losing his mate. Trying to calm him down he offered softly, "I do it to spare the wood and metals. I do it so I will get the crown piece. I sell what I fix but if you wish me to starve and beg the humans for scraps I shall. I will do it for you and our people, if that is your wish dear friend."

He watched Chet come back to himself slowly, blink away the sorrow and return the clock upon the refrigerator with the utmost care. Turning back, keeping his eyes low, he agreed. "Point well noted your Highness, for-forgive me."

"Your friendship, loyalty and services mean so much to me, how can I not?"

"Thank you, your Highness. Still… is there naught one task you have for me? One that would not put your wager with your sister in danger but at least set your mind at ease."

"Perhaps there is a way for you to help me. Mr. Wink is looking for it as well but understandably given his size he is limited on how he can pursue the matter. I wish to locate the crown piece the human's hold."

To that Chet brightened and started for the door. "I would be most honored, I shall start at this very-"

"One more thing Master Chet," Nuada said stopping him in his tracts. When he turned to him, he added, "Tread with care… no bloodshed. We must not spook them."

Chet looked less than pleased with the stipulation but gave a tight nod and left without further word.

=0=

After saying their goodbyes Maura put down her mobile, opened a bottle of merlot and poured herself a large glass. Leaning against the counter, she eyed her bag by the door before taking a sip. After checking the time and confirming Helen would not be home for at least two more hours, Maura padded over barefoot to it. Picking it up and slinging it over a shoulder she carried it over to the sofa, sat her wine glass down and carefully took out the weapon that nearly killed her. Laying it upon the coffee table she sat down and opened the cardboard to inspect it fully.

Staring at the hawk bill shaped blade bearing her now dried blood, Maura took a long draft of the red wine and wondered what to do with it next. It looked to be well made. Both the inside and outside of the curved edges were wickedly sharp. From the wear upon the simple yet eloquent hilt it also looked to have been used a great deal. Yet it seemed oversized. Carefully picking it up Maura noted how heavy and off balance it felt.

A soft tapping on the window had her jumping and sloshing her wine. Seeing it was Ike she put the weapon and her glass down, got up to let him in. He looked grim and worried as he slowly flew to the coffee table and hovered over the dagger, studying it.

From the kitchen Maura offered, "Bread and honey?" At his tiny nod she made up half a slice while asking, "I take it no luck in tracking him."

"Correct but we have many eyes searching," he reassured in his native tongue.

Bringing the plate to Ike she asked, "Who is he?"

"Chet."

Maura waited for him to swallow down a few bites before pressing for more. "So why did he want to hurt me?"

Ike said nothing and chewed uncommonly slow. After swallowing he looked up at her and reluctantly informed, "Not hurt… Maura, kill."

"But why? And why would ah… a cave troll that serves the Bethmoora royal family bother to protect me?"

"Orders, we follow. We do not question them."

"What did I do to this Chet guy to-"

"No guy Maura… elf," he mumbled between quick mouthfuls.

"Okay so is this Chet elf working alone?"

"We do not know yet. Mr. Wink and I will keep watch and protect you." He paused squinting up at her and added with a smile, "The one you call Nate… he could be of some use, no?"

"That is a definite no Ike. No way am I getting him involved in this."

He gave a small shrug and sniff then suggested, "Best pick what he dropped up again. Let us see if you can make use of it instead." When she hesitated he stressed, "You will need it and it would be best to keep it close. Now pick it up." Reluctantly she did and Ike added, "Concentrate upon the blade and make it grow." He started to chuckle after she gave it a try, nothing happened and she gave him a skeptical look.

"Try again… you might have to try harder-very hard."

"Fairies, elves, trolls hey why not grow-oh-ing… oh my! It worked! It actually worked!" Maura cried out happily but then frowned. A sinking feeling filling her as she slowly turned the blade from one side to the other. "It's… it's like a machete now."

Realizing why she was upset he nodded to the weapon and suggested matter-of-factly, "Then if he tries to kill you again why not take his head?"

"Ah… I'd rather not. Plus what do I know about these things except stay away from the pointy end? And look I have trouble with even that!" She held up her left arm showing him the cut.

"It is good the blade is sharp. It will make it an easy task."

"Still a big no Ike," she muttered and watched him fly to the window.

From it he asked in a confused tone, "You do not wish to avenge your father?"

"Wait, what? Ike! Dammit," She sighed finding him already gone. Staring back down at the large machete in her hands she felt a sickening anger growing in her. She wondered if she was now holding the very weapon that killed her father. Remembering Ikes words and how he looked at it made her start to swallow hard and push down the threatening tears.

Sucking in a breath she focused upon carefully giving the elongated blade a few careful swings. It sang as it cut through the air. Growing a little bolder she tried out the slow moves of the Tai Chi straight sword form. Confidence growing she experimented with the quick sweeping moves from the Cannon Fist form of the Chen style. The blade surprisingly light started to feel like an extension of herself. At least until the tip of it caught the spinning ceiling fan. The blade so sharp, Maura did not realize she hit it till bits from the white plastic blades started flying out. One hit and dented the wall over the TV, the other rang the copper pots while a third skittered down the hallway to the bath and bedrooms.

"Oh crap!" Panicked she dropped the machete. As it fell to the area rug, the blade shrank back down to its original size. The damaged ceiling fan above now gave off a soft whizzing. Squeezing her eyes shut she muttered, "Great… great going. I've just managed to kill the deposit. No wonder Ike left shortly after I picked this up." She bent down and gingerly retrieved the now dagger sized weapon then walked over to the switch. Turning it off she assessed the damage to the rest of the room and collected the fragments as the blades slowed down. Looking up she let out a breath. Just small pieces of three corners were missing.

"Maybe she won't notice," Maura hoped, flipped the fan back on and decided to go to bed. Getting any sleep was another thing entirely.

=0=

Chet's weapon is similar to hawkbill machete: A curved or hooked machete that can be sharpened on both sides or on the inside of the curve. The sharpened tip can concentrate force on a sharp point allowing it to pierce and cut very hard materials. Generally it's used for cutting tall grasses. (And apparently for Chet lopping off heads as well.)


	12. Chapter Eleven: 12:16pm

Chapter Eleven: 12:16pm

_Nine months, two days, eleven hours and forty-four minutes_

Opening the door upon one crutch and seeing Maura's hands full, knuckles white with strain Nuada without a word bent and took all of the bags from her right hand. After a quick smile she squeezed past him, shaking out the soreness in it as she rushed to put the remaining of what she carried upon the counters.

"I know-I know… I'm late, sorry."

"Only but a few minutes," Nuada reassured and followed her to the small kitchen area. Around ten in the morning he had called as promised to give her the list of things to purchase and she had sounded fine. A little groggy and confused, he guessed from being woken up but she wrote the items down. Asking only a few questions about quantity and brand options, mostly in an effort she hoped would save him some coin. He smiled remembering her yawns into the phone and minor grumbles as she had scrambled for a pen and paper.

Now here, taking notice of her body radiating nervous energy, he tilted his head to the side and wondered upon the cause. But it was not until she took off her no nonsense yellow rain coat and started putting the groceries away did he see it. Setting the bags down on the table, he grabbed her arm and giving the cut a hard look demanded, "What happened."

"Oh… it's n-nothing, just a cut Nate."

"Maura…" he pressed firmly and watched the corners of her mouth tug down in worry before noticing. "And this?" He reached to inspect the other smaller wound. When she tried to jerk away he held fast and softly urged. "Allow me… please."

The fear in her, he could feel growing however she hid it upon her face well. In fact, she tried to push it down with annoyance. Her nostrils flared and her eyes narrowed. But seeing the concern in his, she slowly relented as his fingers cupped around the back of her neck as his right thumb carefully brushed over the nick upon her throat. Her pulse under it quicken while she eyed him warily. Under the fear, sadness emerged and he watched the debate play out over her tired features. Till she reluctantly admitted, "After I left yesterday on my way home someone attacked me. But it's no big deal! I'm fine-"

"No big deal? Why ever would you think that?"

She shrugged but he had a sense she was holding something back. Instead of asking more questions he doubted she would answer he brushed his fingers from her neck, down her left shoulder and to around the slice on her inner forearm gently. He ignored her soft gasp from the minor pain. It came more from the bloom of desire to his touch as he thought.

_This was deep and yet if it happened yesterday she must have received healing. Did she speed the process all by herself or did someone help her?_

Looking up he found her wincing. Hastily he let her go remembering what she had said yesterday as the anger in him grew. It was not due to her hesitation to give him details but to his surprise, over the very idea of someone hurting her.

_Whatever she is… she's at least a healer. No matter their level of skill, they are to be protected for what they do for others, not harmed! Whoever would attack her? Why! A human… of course! A foolish, hollow and greedy human and over what else but money!_

His breath quickened and his hands ached for his lance. But unable to even touch it he watched hers shake as she quickly put the remainder of his groceries away. She was unusually quiet but it helped him think over what he could do next as he gripped the counter behind him in frustration. The cheap edges of it cutting into his palms and he wondered if how she was acting now was solely due to the attack or his temper as well. He swallowed and tried to calm down. Promising himself that at the very least he would not allow this to happen to her again. Crossing his arms and leaning against the counter he made another attempt for answers.

"What happened?"

Folding up her cloth bags she gave, "He came up behind me and drew a knife and luckily this… this… friend of mine stopped him."

"Apparently not in time! Your arm and-"

She flushed and pulled it behind her when he tried to reach for it again. He felt her hand upon his chest as she tried to back up only to bump into the stove. Her voice was soft yet firm, "Relax Nate… the important thing is I'm okay. And plus, he didn't give me that bigger cut. I… I did it to myself." When he started to open his mouth she added, "He dropped the knife and when I picked it up I didn't realize how sharp it was besides… it's just a few scratches."

"No… he puts a cut upon your throat - your throat Maura! And yet you jest that it is of little consequence?"

Saying nothing, she withdrew her hand to cross her arms tight under her breasts. Drawing her shoulders up in a small slow shrug, she did not look away as her jaw jutted stubbornly out. Swallowing hard he took note of his quick angry breaths, their very close proximity and the slight tremble to her frame. Cautiously he reached to lay his hands upon her shoulders. To gently massage away the worry in them and show that his poor temper was merely concern. To his surprise she permitted the contact but then it was not direct. He took care not to brush his thumbs along the exposed collar bones above her scooped neck simple green top. Instead he concentrated upon just working the knots of tension away that was covered by the thin fabric, studying her reactions carefully. It was not long before her face grew flush as her eyes dropped to his chest shyly. Slowly calming Maura gave a small sigh and seemed to fall into deep thought.

Picking up her chin, to draw her gaze back he kindly inquired, "Besides these wounds are you otherwise well?"

He silently cursed when her eyes grew glassy and fell to his lips. She chewed hers, sucked in a ragged breath and looked up, as if waiting for him to do something. If she had not been so human he might have indulged in comforting her more but instead he let the moment pass. He took a step back and waited patiently as she slowly regained control of herself.

Shaking her head she confessed, "No… I'm worried he will try again. And it's not like the cops can do anything about it."

"You can prepare and take precautions."

"Precautions I can do but if you're suggesting I somehow fight back well… you should see my ceiling fan." When Nuada gave her a puzzled look, Maura rubbed at the cut on her forearm and added on a weak and forced laugh, "I'm not a fighter. I mean look, I can barely figure out how to stay away from the sharp end of something pointy."

"I can show you."

"How? Your ankle, it will have to wait at least one more day until you can start to put some and I'm stressing _some_ weight on it."

Nuada leaned back again on the opposite counter and agreed, "True it will present a challenge but for the first few days we can concentrate upon simple moves. Still we will need more room than this to train."

"What about the roof?"

Nuada smiled at the idea and headed for the door.

"What? What now?"

"Yes, now. Come."

=0=

It took some time to get up there but reaching the tar beach, as most New Yorkers called it, gave them both a pleasant surprised at what they also found. The roof top garden was not fancy and only half of the entire area was used. Someone or more had carefully laid out a dozen or so rows of long and deep planting boxes and in them seedlings were just starting to emerge.

Nate said nothing only looked carefully around as Maura read the labels, "Carrots… Radishes… Lettuce… Peas… wow… it just keeps going on and on. Look! They even planted some rhubarb!"

"I take it this is not a typical thing to find. Yet with so little earth here not covered by cement, I am unsurprised."

Maura ignored the slightly sour tone in his comment and explained, "It's a trend that is thankfully coming back. I wish more of us would do it since it would help improve air quality and cool the city down. I wonder which of your neighbors started this, how many are helping with maintaining it and sheesh why didn't I think of doing this at my building? Well if the landlord would even let me start a community garden."

She looked up to watch him study one of the individually potted tomato plants. He caressed one of its leaves. The action warmed her, remembering his touches from before even if they failed to lead to a kiss. He next gave a small smile at it and suggested, "Hopefully you can. Just think… you could grow more lavender for Ike."

A little flabbergasted that Nate remembered what plant she had placed him in that night Maura's jaw dropped but she snapped it up as he looked about. Pointing he declared, "That area maybe suitable for our needs." Reaching it he looked over a collection of tools leaning against the entrance to the stairs and demanded, "Tell me more about the attack. Spare no detail."

Thinking of two details she would definitely have to spare, namely Mr. Wink and Ike she stalled, "Ah… where do you want me to start?" When he turned to her, looked down his nose and narrowed his eyes, Maura squeezed hers tightly shut and muttered, "Okay… okay give me a sec. Thinking about it isn't exactly fun, you know?"

"Start where you first noticed something was wrong." He watched as she started to pace then added gently, "Take your time."

Sighing she ran over the idea of what to say then began. "I heard running behind me shortly after I got off the steps out front. I turned and… already he was swinging it at me. If my friend hadn't caught and pulled him back I…"

"What did you do? Did you just stand there?"

Giving him an indignant look Maura grumbled, "No! I tried to get the hell out of the way!" And she spared him the embarrassing detail of nearly landing on her backside in the process.

"Good and…?"

She shuddered remembering the feel of her warm blood running down from the cut on her neck, pointed to it and snapped, "That happened. Then my friend dragged him into an alley and proceeded to kick his ass, thee end."

"Not quite, did he say anything?"

"Nothing I could understand… I followed… to make sure my friend was okay. After he knocked him out we were talking… um… about whether to call the cops and he… he just… just vanished."

"Vanished? After your friend knocked him out? However did your friend accomplish such a thing? Did he have a weapon as well?"

She remembered perfectly the clinking sound of a chain reeling the cave troll's mechanical hand with a kicking elf on the line into the alley. Then afterwards, the echoing dull thud as Chet's body hit a not so full dumpster. Lastly how Mr. Wink picked him up over his head and threw him with a roar against a wall in a perfect pro wrestler style, bricks and bones cracking. "Ah… no… no weapon-not really," Maura honestly admitted then with a shrug she glossed the rest over with, "I dunno… He's just really big."

"Big?" The short word from his lips came out hard and skeptical.

"_Really_ big… yep he's so big we… we call him Big… Brian," Maura insisted and gave a nervous smile over the first name which popped into her head.

"Big Brian?"

"Yep."

"Very well, what of the weapon the attacker used, describe it."

"Ah," Maura stalled some more over that sticky detail. After all, how could she explain to Nate it had been a sword in the elf's hands that reverted back to a dagger by the time she had picked it up? "Yeah… about that… I'm not exactly sure what it was, a short sword m-maybe."

"He attacked you with a short sword? Earlier you said it was a knife."

Feeling her face growing hot she nodded and stressed, "Knife… short sword what's the difference?"

"The difference is a short sword is not a very common weapon for… for this location. Did you bring it with you?"

"What? No! No… it's… it's at home in-I mean under my bed." Maura felt her cheeks growing hotter at the outright lie. The dagger was in fact in her bag, sitting next to Nate's refrigerator down stairs. Ike after all had suggested she keep it close. Worried about another attack she followed his advice even though she had serious doubts on her ability to use it effectively.

_Oh beware ferocious ceiling fans everywhere… for I am the slayer of indoor breeze…_

She mussed, gave a self-deprecating sigh and wished she could tell him everything. But given the strange circumstances she comforted herself with she was being as honest with him as she could.

He seemed to ignore her straying mind and continued with, "And his appearance?"

"Um…" she trailed off over yet another snag. Unconscious Chet had looked different from when he attacked. She guessed it was his true form for in the darkness his skin had turned ghastly pale as his long hair faded utterly white. She decided to go with the sword wielding first impression of him. "He was a few inches shorter than you but taller than me. He had a broken nose – at least I think it was once… it tilted off to the right a little. He also had hair like yours but it was messier and very dark eyes."

Nate gave a curt nod and thankfully stopped with the interrogation but as he turned away she caught a hint of alarm in his normally calm but stern eyes. For a full minute he seemed engrossed in the gardening tools again his shoulders dropping a little as he looked up and around in deep thought.

"So, what's on your mind?"

"Nothing you need to worry over. It is but a small matter I need to address later on," he replied softly but cryptically. He then selected a hoe from the pile and turned to her. She watched him settle all of his weight upon his good leg, drop the crutch and spin the long handle in his hands with a grace of years of practice.

"What are you doing?"

"Learning the balance."

"I can see it's pretty good but you should stay on that-"

"No I mean for this," he gave on a soft laugh. When he then stopped spinning it his eyes met hers. Giving his usual half smile, Nate playfully beckoned, "Now come closer. We shall work upon close proximity dodges today."

Seeing the sudden determination in his eyes, Maura hesitated and wondered aloud. "Um… Why do I have a distinct feeling this is going to hurt?

=0=

Unseen by them Ike flew down from the roof, landed upon Wink's shoulder and reported, "He knows."

"Of our intervention? How? Did you tell him?" Wink rumbled out in troll and looked up. He had wanted to listen for himself but the fire escape groaned in protest when he had tried to pull himself up to the second story. It was so loud a balding middle-aged man living on that floor got out of his lazy boy and looked out. He saw nothing of course but the metal landing under his window shifted as Wink invisible under his glamor had let the ladder go.

"No," Ike corrected and in his own tongue quickly explained, "Maura. But since she is unaware of the wager and thinks our prince is a human she will never tell him everything. Instead she implied it was a large human friend who gave aid. But from all that she has said about who attacked her, he has figured it out. He… _knows_." Smiling Ike savored that word as if he was eating lavender honey.

He wanted Chet dead ever since he laid eyes on him torturing and killing one human after another over four decades ago. Chet had been searching for something or someone and he used any means necessary to extract information. Even though a part of the truce that was struck so long ago by King Balor also stipulated no further bloodshed was to occur between man and magical beings. Both sides upon occasion violated this, Tooth Fairies especially but Chet's ruthlessness put even them to shame.

But frustratingly due to his size, Ike was unable to do much but watch, bear witness and report his findings to those who could do something about it. Ike quivered now in fact, at the very thought of their Prince finally putting an end to such a vile self-absorbed elf.

"And his reaction?" Wink prodded calmly.

Ike jumped back to the present, hovered before Wink's face and reported, "He is displeased. What do you think he will do?"

His new large friend said nothing for a long time then reluctantly admitted, "I do not know. Chet has held sway with our Prince. At least in the past, now how much he still has I am uncertain of."

"Surely he will do something! You did not see his anger!"

"I see yours, wood fairy. We shall follow Princess Nuala's orders and avoid Prince Nuada so we may continue to do so. If I report to him now what I have witnessed I am honor bound to tell him no lies at which point he could discover our intent and can overrule his sister's command."

Crossing his thin arms Ike sulked and realized, "So we just wait and watch."

In an attempt to cheer his new little friend up Wink added, "We wait, watch and protect."

=0=

It did not hurt. Nuada had been as gentle and careful with Maura as he had when instructing and practicing with his twin sister. Although pain could be a strong motivation, Nuada felt Chet's methods of instruction were at times counterproductive to say the least when he had taught him.

They had practiced only a few basic moves over and over again, slowly at first so that they would develop firmly into Maura's memory. Speed would come later and when his arm started to burn and his good ankle started to ache they took a short break. Since she did not request they stop, Nuada with now the help of his crutch suggested they resume. Growing comfortable with the moves she had even started to laugh a little breathlessly after successfully avoiding a series of swings without being tapped.

He was grateful he was still rather good at pulling back his blows at the last second. In the past it had come in handy for practicing with others and during battle it was an interesting way to torment his enemies. To mock their skill or to give a concerned onlooker a chance to give Nuada information he desired or something he wanted. If they cooperated he left them alive… usually.

As the sun grew low to the horizon and with Maura looking to be in need of water, Nuada called for a stop. At the door he handed her the key and suggested, "Go on ahead."

"Are… you… sure?" She worked out between breaths.

"I will be fine and you require drink."

With her flushed neck and face slick with sweat, she did not argue. Instead she snatched the key and rushed down the stairs gasping all the way. When he entered the apartment several minutes later he found her, one could say, still enjoying the water. She had also put aside all ladylike airs in an effort to cool down. Bent over she was drinking from the kitchen faucet. Nuada tried not to eye her dark jean covered bottom as she squirmed on one probably sore foot to the other while letting the tap pour over her hair pulled up tight in a ponytail. Yet as her moans of relief echoed into the sink, Nuada felt his body start to respond. Growing more than just frustrated, he cleared his throat but she seemed to have not heard him.

"Awww… that feels sooo good! Sooo…. Good!" She groaned this time rather slowly.

To that Nuada looked. He should not have but what she had said between gasping breaths and gulps of water reverberated louder, thanks to the sink it crumbled his usual self-control.

_Besides nobody is looking, Nuala perhaps but…_

Curiosity peaked, Nuada drew closer and took a moment to watch. Maura's bottom rose only higher as she lifted up to her toes to drop her head under the stream of water again.

_Do… do all humans act so… so…_

Throbbing now he could not even begin to finish the thought. Instead he prudently turned away, got out two glasses, set them down and over his shoulder snapped, "Maura!"

She let out a squeak of surprise and promptly bumped her head on the faucet. "OUCH! Oh hi!" After wringing out her ponytail in the sink, she turned if off and belatedly added. "Sorry, didn't see you there."

"I do have a shower and glasses," he grumbled back but softened a little at the contrite dropping of her eyes.

It did not take long though for her hackles to rise up just a little as she explained, "I'm hot."

Nuada studied her flushed face and swollen parted lips and an observation instantly and unwantedly popped to mind.

_She looks like she has just been kissed… hard._

Frowning he turned to the glasses, picked them up and moved to fill them with some cold cider from the fridge. With his body still trying to calm down, he kept his back to her. She was pulling at her damp shirt, when he handed her a proper drink and Nuada agreed flatly, "Yes… yes you are."

"Ah… th-thanks."

He watched her drink it down nervously. Wondering at and not liking the growing tension between them he politely suggested, "Would you care to stay for a meal?"

"Sure, mind if I shower?"

"You can try," he snorted and gave the tiny room a nod. "I wish you luck with it."

"Wow, that is small," Maura agreed and before closing the door grinned. "Thanks I'll need it."

"You will fair far better than I have, I imagine." Nuada mumbled back under his breath and started opening cabinets.

=0=

Immediately after she closed the door behind her and set down her bag on the closed toilet seat, Maura felt the walls press in. Wrinkling her nose she gave the tight space a few curious sniffs and looked for the source of the mildew smell. It emanated from a white t-shirt and three pairs of black socks drying on one of the towel racks. They looked clean but grimacing while inspecting them and then the sink she gathered he had hand washed them. The towels did not smell much better and felt rough to the touch.

_Ugh… hasn't this guy ever heard of a washer and dryer or better yet fabric softener?_

A tap at the door had her jumping and banging her right elbow into the tile wall. As she mouthed a silent _"Ouch that fucking hurts!"_Nate's muffled voice called out, "Are you still presentable? Because I require entrance to remove some items of clothing I left drying in there."

Instead of answering him she opened the door, gathered up the damp clothes and shoved them at him. To his surprised look she scolded, "You should have told me sooner about these. I can do a few loads if you like tomorrow and when your ankle gets better remind me to introduce you to the joys of coin operated laundry machines. Till then stop washing your stuff in this poor excuse for a sink!"

"Pardon?"

Still in pain Maura just shook her head, made a shooing gesture with her good arm and pulled the door back shut as quickly as possible.

=0=

Head cocked, Nuada blinked at the closed door, still holding his wet clothing. When he smelled them, while making a face he actually blushed. Normally if he needed something laundered he took it to a very nice fragglewump at the Troll Market. But since the wager he had to make do with washing them himself. Usually they dried out fine but with this batch he had not the time to set them by an open window.

Hearing the pot of potato soup boiling over he rushed or more accurately hopped to the bedroom. There he hastily threw the wet clothes down onto the bed. Next with pride long forgotten Nuada took a few more hops back to the kitchen still upon his good ankle yanked the pot off the burner and sat it upon another one.

"As entertaining and impressive as that was, why are you not using your crutches, Buster?"

Caught Nuada spun around and glowered at Maura. It wiped the smirk right off her face but only momentarily before it returned with a small chuckle.

"Find that humorous, do you?"

Getting up from leaning on the door frame she uncrossed her arms and held up her hands. "Just wondering about the towels."

"Towels?" He looked about, with the pot and the burners now a gooey mess he could sure use one.

"Yeah, are the towels in the bathroom clean?"

"Yes-yes! Why do you-AH!" The hot creamy soup had seeped through the thin kitchen towel he had managed to find and was using to clean up the stove.

Rushing to him, Maura demanded, "What happened?"

"I… I burned myself!" Nuada sputtered in disbelief and tried shaking the pain as well as the hot soup off but it was not working. Before he could think of what next to do Maura had already grabbed his right wrist, dragged him to the kitchen sink. Turning the cold water on, she shoved his throbbing hand under the stream.

Nuada's eyes rolled back in relief as he silently berated himself for being so careless and thought.

_Are human beings truly this fragile? No wonder they hide in buildings for at least half the day!_

Softly Maura encouraged, "Just keep it under the water while I take a look, all right?"

He sucked in a breath with eyes squeezing tightly shut as her concern and energies pulsed into him. Gently she brushed over the rising blisters upon his finger tips and palm. Immediately his hand started to feel better. She was healing him again and knowing the toll it would take on her he tried to stop it.

"Maura you do not need to…"

"Stop squirming!" With surprising strength she kept his hand firmly under the water and nearly growled. "Hold still or you're going to make it worse! Sheesh! Why won't you just for once relax? Forget about being in control and your employees for five minutes. Five minutes so you can get better, okay!"

When he snapped open his eyes he found her glaring back equally annoyed. She winced a little and knowing why, Nuada struggled to do as she requested. It was not until they both calmed and she kept brushing the blisters away did he break the silence.

"A great many count upon me, I have told you this before."

She said nothing at first, looked down at their hands and thought about what to say. Then in a quiet voice she asked, "And if you always carry them, what will happen if someday you cannot walk anymore? All because you're too bullheaded to let someone help you now and then?"

Wordlessly conceding to her point, Nuada let out a deep breath. The sound of the cool water drumming over the metal bottom of the sink and her careful touches soothed away the rest of his pain and tensions.

_It has been so long since I have had a healer's touch and never from one so… fetching._

The last part came to him in surprise and had him flinching. He worked to suppress the unwanted thoughts as the constant under tones of her desire for him seemed to now emerge from the simple concern for his wellbeing. His worry grew, she had after all, somehow caused him to slip into unconsciousness at the hospital. And each time she touched him, he felt infected by her emotions.

_How much of this is her doing? For me to desire a human, that would be ridiculous! A human? Impossible!_

As she kept her concentration upon tending to his hand, Nuada drew closer, dipped his head and discreetly as possible inhaled the scent of her damp hair and skin. But to his frustration he could detect nothing which would indicate she was anything more than human.

_Maybe that sense has been hobbled as well._

He realized then how over the last few months smells that would have bothered him before seemed less annoying now. Still he tried again, taking in another deep breath. The faint scent of apples and her pheromones made his breath and heart rate quickened. Flashes of the dreams he had of her were not helping either. He felt his usual discipline slipping away and he did not like it, not one bit.

Yet he had to bite back a groan when she let go suddenly and stammered, "L-looks like you were not as badly burned as we thought. I… I better get to that shower. Excuse me."

As she fled for the bathroom, he looked down at his hand. The blisters were gone and without thinking Nuada put weight upon his now almost completely healed ankle.

=0=

End Notes: Sorry for the delay, been busy-busy-busy with summer classes hope this extra long chapter makes up for that.

Oh and I hope some of you got that little joke about Maura giving Mr. Wink the nickname Big Brian. (The guy who helped bring Mr. Wink to life by putting on that mind blowing costume is a wonderful actor named Brian Steele)

More is coming count on at least one chapter a month. :)


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